The Pyreferra of Louisiana by Vernon Antoine Brou Jr., 74320 Jack Loyd Road, Abita Springs, Louisiana 70420 email: [email protected]

Three species of the four species noctuid genus Pyreferra occur in Louisiana; the genus was previously unreported for the state. The species (Grt.), (Gn.),

a b c

Fig. 1. Pyreferra species: a. ceromatica, b. hesperidago, c. pettiti . and (Grt.) (Fig.1) are known in Louisiana by a paultry number of specimens:(17) ceromatica (Fig. 3a), nine hesperidago (Fig 3b), and one pettiti (Jan 21), captured in two parishes (Fig.2). One species, P. hesperidago is illustrated by Covell (1984) and said to occur from Nova Scotia to Florida and westward to Wisconsin and Arkansas. Heppner (2003) reports ceromatica and hesperidago for Florida. Knudson and Bordelon (1999) report ceromatica, hesperidago and pettiti for Texas. Witch hazel ( Hamamelis sp.) is the reported foodplant for ceromatica and hesperidago, and Betulaceae sp. is the reported foodplant for pettiti (Forbes,1954).

3 Dec Jan Feb Mar 2 1 0

number of adults Fig. 2. Parish records for Pyreferra Fig. 3a. Capture dates for Pyreferra ceromatica . species: ceromatica , pettiti , hesperidago . 3 Dec Jan Feb Mar 2 1 0 number of adults Fig. 3b. Capture dates for Pyreferra hesperidago . Literature cited Covell, Jr., C.V. 1984. A field guide to eastern North America. The Peterson Field Guide Series No. 30. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. xv + 469pp., 64 plates. Forbes, W.T.M. 1954. of New York and neighboring states, , Part III, Cornell Univ. Agr. Exp. St. Mem. 329. Ithaca, New York, 433 pp. Heppner, J.B. 2003. of Florida and neighboring land areas, vol. 17: Lepidoptera of Florida, Div. Plant Industry, Fla. Dept. Agr. and Consum. Serv., Gainesville. x + 670pp., 55 plates. Knudson, E. and C. Bordelon 1999. Texas Lepidoptera Survey, Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Texas 2000 edit.