COLORFUL ZALE

Zale minerea

OWLET MOTH FAMILY (Erebidae)

The Colorful Zale is extremely variable in color and pattern.  It has a wingspan of 1.5 to 2 inches.  The forewing can be dark gray, brown to black usually with tan or yellow in the median area.  There are black patches at the apex.  The hindwings are dark tan, brown and black.  There is usually a distinct black tooth underlined with pale tan on the postmedian line that projects into the subterminal area.  This moth is very similar to the Lunate Zale (Zale lunata) and in some cases they cannot be distinguished from each other.  The Colorful Zale is usually smaller, more mottled and more brightly marked.  This moth was identified with the help of volunter experts from the BugGuide website.

The frequency of occurrence is not known at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods.  The individual shown here was photographed at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in early April.  There is one generation a year.  The adults are attracted to artificial lights.

The larvae eat the leaves of basswood, birch, elm, oak and willow.  The mature larva grow to about 1 5/8 inches long.  They are highly variable and easily confused with Lunate Zale larvae.  They are gray, tan, brown or almost black.  The pattern can be uniformly colored to striped or heavily mottled.  The mature caterpillars are found in June and July.