Papaipema sulphurata - Water Willow Stem Borer. This moth is really cool for several reasons, the first being it is endemic to a tiny area of Southeastern Massachusetts. This moth is only found in 5 counties in the state, and not more than halfway up 2 of them, giving this moth a very small geographic range. The second reason this moth is cool is because that stem you see in the background is where it came from. As larvae, this group of moths bores into the stems of various plants, this one bores into Decodon verticillatus or Water Willow. The larvae complete their lifecycle within the plant and only leave it to pupate. This species actually pupates in the stem! Very cool moth, and life cycle! #Papaipema #Papaipemasulphurata #Endemic #endemicspecies pecies #noctuidae #waterwillowstemborer #moth #entomology #insects_of_our_world #igcb_mothmondays #lepidoptery
