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Lymire edwardsii

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Lymire edwardsii
Adult (top) and larva (bottom)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Genus: Lymire
Species:
L. edwardsii
Binomial name
Lymire edwardsii
(Grote, 1881)
Synonyms
  • Scepsis edwardsii Grote, 1881

Lymire edwardsii, the rubber tree caterpillar or Edwards' wasp moth, is a species of moth in the subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881. It is found in southern Florida, United States.

Description

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The wingspan is 35–40 mm. The wings are bluish gray. Adults are on wing year round.

Behaviour and ecology

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The larvae feed on Ficus species, including Ficus pedunculata, Ficus altissima, Ficus aurea, Ficus auriculata, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus benjamina, Ficus continifolia, Ficus elastica, Ficus lyrata, Ficus retusa and Ficus rubiginosa. They feed on leaf margins or create holes in the leaves. Full-grown larvae are pale yellow with four white stripes and a reddish/orange and white head. Pupation takes place on various (non-host) plants.[1]

References

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