''Pyrausta subsequalis'', also known as the weedfield sable, is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...

in the family

Crambidae The Crambidae are the grass moth family of lepidopterans. They are variable in appearance, the nominal subfamily Crambinae (grass moths) taking up closely folded postures on grass stems where they are inconspicuous, while other subfamilies includ ...

. It was described by

Achille Guenée Achille Guenée (sometimes M.A. Guenée; 1 January 1809 – 30 December 1880) was a French lawyer and entomologist. Biography Achille Guenée was born in Chartres and died in Châteaudun. He was educated in Chartres, where he showed a very e ...

in 1854. It is found in much of North America, where it has been recorded from southern

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

and southern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...

south to

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

and

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

and east to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

and north to

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

. The habitat consists of dry prairie areas. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan ...

is 14–18 mm. Adults have been recorded on wing from July to early September. In coastal areas of California, they are seen year-round.

Subspecies

*''Pyrausta subsequalis subsequalis'' *''Pyrausta subsequalis petaluma'' Munroe, 1976 (California, Oregon)

Taxonomy

Some uncertainty has existing in the literature in relation to the name ''Herbula insequalis'' Guenée, 1854, which was a name published in the closing section of the same original publication as an appended comment for edits and corrections as "erratum". There (p. 447), Guenée, 1854 proposed that ''Herbula insequalis'' should be used in preference to his prior name ''Herbula subsequalis'' Guenée, 1854 which had been used in his main text (p. 177). However, the stated justification for the replacement name due to the pre-existence of "subsequalis Herr.-Sch." (later Mecyna subsequalis) is not acceptable as that pre-existing name is not an homonym. Therefore, his proposed replacement name is superfluous, and becomes a junior objective synonym.

Notes

Moths described in 1854 subsequalis Moths of North America {{Pyrausta (moth)-stub