Chalcopasta howardi (H. Edwards)

Plusia howardi H. Edwards, 1877, Pacific Coast Lepidopterist, no. 25, p. 1.

Deva ornata Ottolengui, 1898, Canad. Ent., 30:106, pl. 5, fig. 1.

Chalcopasta houardi Hampson, 1910, Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum, 9:219.

Diagnosis: Chalcopasta howardi is the first of two species with a triangular brown area at the base of the forewing. This species looks like territans superficially, but the basal brown patch is absent in territans or, at most, very small. The closest relative of howardi appears to be fulgens. The forewing of fulgens is suffused with white giving it a soft appearance and making the metallic green yellower and duller than in howardi. Wing length from base to apex: mean = 16.31 mm., standard deviation = 0.68 mm., n = 10.

Distribution: Chalcopasta howardi has been collected in most of southern and central Arizona, but not from the western part of the state or counties north of the Mogollon Rim. It has been collected from only the southern counties of New Mexico. The species occurs throughout the southern part of Texas, eastward as far as Brownsville. It has been collected in Mexico only in the state of San Luis Potosi.

Adults have been captured from July through October and also in April and May.

Identification Quality: Excellent

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

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