Moth Photographers Group – Apantesis ornata

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

about viewing options Southwest select region

Erebidae

930271 – 8177 Apantesis ornata (Packard, 1864)

Photographs are the copyrighted property of each photographer listed. Contact individual photographers for permission to use for any purpose.

Large Map & Chart Report Errors About Maps

Larva and Host Plants:	Host familiy: Centaurea Chenopodium Erodium Lactuca Plantago Polygonum Salix Taraxacum Trifolium. Host genera: Centaurea Chenopodium Erodium Lactuca Plantago Polygonum Salix Taraxacum Trifolium. Host extended: Centaurea, Chenopodium, Erodium, Lactuca, Plantago, Polygonum, Salix, Taraxacum, Trifolium. Host extended: generalist on a wide variety of herbaceous vegetation (Crabo et al 2014). (Kimberley & Douglas 2025)
Similar Species:	Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy:	ornata (Packard, 1864) (Callarctia) - MONA 1983: 8177 achaia (Grote & Robinson, 1868) (Arctia) barda (Edwards, 1881) (Arctia) californica Cassino, 1917 (Apantesis) dahurica (Grote & Robinson, 1868) (Arctia) maculosa (Stretch, 1906) (Arctia) ochracea (Stretch, 1872) (Arctia) ochracearivulosa (Stretch, 1906) (Arctia) perpicta (Dyar, 1893) (Arctia) rivulosa (Stretch, 1906) (Arctia) simplicior (Butler, 1881) (Arctia) sulphuricella Strand, 1919 (Apantesis)
Taxonomic Notes:	Apantesis ornata (Packard, 1864) was formerly in the genus Grammia, Systematic Entomology: 41(4): 844-853.

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced.
Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 46.50n, 46.51m; p. 267. Book Review and ordering
Ronka, K., J. Mappes, L. Kaila, N. Wahlberg, 2016. Putting Parasemia in its phylogenetic place: a molecular analysis of the subtribe Arctiina (Lepidoptera). Systematic Entomology, 41(4): 844-853.
Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online)
Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths
Species Page at iNaturalist

Moth Photographers Group at the Mississippi Entomological Museum at the Mississippi State University

Send suggestions, or submit photographs to Webmaster — Moth Photographers Group

Database design and scripting support provided by Mike Boone