Apantesis vittata (Fabricius, 1787)

Fabricius, J. C. (1787). Mantissa Insectorum sistens eorum species nuper
detectas, vol. 2: pp. 127-128. Described in the genus Bombyx. Translated from
the Latin original.

164. vittata. B. with deflexed black wings: with three abbreviated white
stripes.

Habitat in America. Museum of Dr. Hunter.

Of the stature of B. plantaginis. Antennae scarcely pectinate, black. Head black
with a white frontal dot. Thorax white with two anterior dots and three broad
black lines. Fore wings black, with three halved white stripes: two of them
marginal. The posterior margin somewhat whitish. Hind wings black with a red
spot at the base. Beneath of the same colours.

Hampson, G. F. (1901). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British
Museum, vol. 3: pp. 410-411, text-fig. 164.

1966. Apantesis vittata.
Bombyx vittata, Fabr. Mant. Ins. ii. p. 127 (1787); Kirby, Cat. Het. p. 269.
Arctia phalerata, Harr. Ins. Mass. p. 245 (1841).
Apantesis radians, Wlk. iii. 632 (1855).
Arctia decorata, Saunders, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. ii. p. 60 (1863).
Arctia colorata, Wlk. xxxi. 301 (1864).
Arctia rhoda, Butl. Ent. Mo. Mag. xviii. p. 136 (1881); Kirby, Cat. Het. p. 268.
Arctia ochreata, Butl. Ent. Mo. Mag. xviii. p. 136 (1881); Kirby, Cat. Het. p.
269.
Arctia phalerata, var. incompleta, Butl. A. M. N. H. (5) viii. p. 311 (1881).

♂. Head and thorax ochreous; palpi, sides of frons, antennae, and stripes on
tegulae, patagia, and thorax black; pectus and legs black; abdomen yellow above
tinged with crimson towards base, with broad black dorsal stripe and the ventral
surface black. Fore wing black, with ochreous-white fascia on costa to the
postmedial band and fasciae above submedian fold and on inner margin; the
postmedial band oblique from costa to vein 4, where it is strongly angled, then
running along median nervure to middle of submedian fascia; the subterminal band
oblique from costa to termen above vein 5, then running to postmedial band at
vein 4, then to termen at vein 2, and inwards to submedian fascia; cilia
ochreous. Hind wing pale ochreous, the base and inner area tinged with crimson;
the costal area black, except towards base; a discoidal spot often present; a
subterminal spot above vein 5, sometimes conjoined to costal fascia, spots on
vein 2 and above 1, and sometimes one on middle of termen.

Ab. 1. incompleta. Fore wing with the upper arm of the subterminal band absent.

Ab. 2. Hind wing without subterminal and terminal spots.

Ab. 3. decorata. Hind wing with the markings of terminal area confluent, and
forming a very broad band with very irregular inner edge; tegulae without
stripes.

Ab. 4. ochreata. Abdomen and hind wing orange-yellow, without crimson tinge;
tegulae without stripes.

♀. Head, thorax, and markings of fore wing more orange-yellow; abdomen scarlet;
hind wing deep crimson, with the markings large.

Ab. 1. Fore wing with the subterminal band absent or reduced to short streaks
near vein 4, the terminal half of submedian fascia obsolescent; hind wing with
irregular terminal band.

Ab. 2. Fore wing with the upper part of postmedial band also absent.

Ab. 3. radians. Fore wing with the markings reduced to narrow fasciae on costa
and inner margin, and above basal part of submedian fold.

Hab. U.S.A., Atlantic States, New York (Packard), 10 ♂, 3 ♀, types rhoda,
ochreata, and incompleta, Washington, 1 ♂, Buffalo, 1 ♂, Grote Coll.; Georgia, 2
♀ types radians and colorata; Florida, Miami (Schaus), 1 ♂, 1 ♀. Exp. 34-44
millim.

Seitz, A. (1919). Apantesis. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the
World, vol. 6, The American Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 305, pl. 39 a (German
edition: Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 6: 305).

A. vittata F. (39 a). Forewings black with cream-coloured margins and similar
stripes on the median, across the cell-end a white oblique band ending in the ♀
at the median, extending in the ♂ into the W of the marginal area (which is
mostly absent in the ♀). Hindwings reddish yellow-white, at the margin and
before it somewhat spotted black, in the ♀ sometimes the whole marginal area
black (= f. decorata Sndrs.). -- In ochreata Btlr. (39 a) the hindwings and
abdomen are golden yellow, without any reddish tinge. -- In incompleta Btlr. (=
colorata Wkr.) the upper arm of the marginal W is absent, and in radians Wkr.
(39 a) the W is absent altogether, and the ♀ has only a white basal ray in the
black forewing. -- phalerata Harris (= rhoda Btlr.) (38 m) are deviations of
this extremely variable species, but Holland states that he obtained the most
various forms all from the same place, a small valley in Pennsylvania. phalerata
has fine, though distinct white stripes on the forewings, being complete also in
the ♀; the hindwings are rosy-red with large black spots. Atlantic parts of the
United States, from the Canadian frontier to Florida. The species is very
common; phalerata is distributed through Mexico and Central America to Costa
Rica.