About Gnophaela vermiculata Grote, 1863
Gnophaela vermiculata, sometimes called the police-car moth or green lattice, is a moth species belonging to the family Erebidae. This species was originally described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1863. It occurs in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and western North America, ranging from British Columbia to California, east to New Mexico, and north to Alberta and Manitoba. The wingspan of this moth measures about 54 millimetres, which equals 2.1 inches. Adult moths are active in late summer and fly during the day. There is one generation produced each year. Young larvae have yellower patches, which develop into the mature coloration as larvae grow. Larvae feed on plant species in the genera Mertensia, Lithospermum, and Hackelia. Adult moths feed on nectar from a variety of herbaceous flowers, including species of Cirsium and Solidago. This species can be mistaken for Gnophaela latipennis due to the similarity of their wing patterns. Gnophaela latipinna can be distinguished by its smaller pale wing areas and more rounded forewing margins.
