Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1144346

Paula's Clearwing
Oleria paula

Observation date: September 26, 2017
Date notes: Date and time confirmed from photo exif data
Submitted by: toddish@gmail.com
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: came across this while hiking to a cave we were going to visit, was camera shy but was thrilled to catch one photo I had heard about these in the Sierra Gordas but was surprised to catch one, smaller than I expected
Status: Resident
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: October 15, 2022
Coordinator notes: I really wanted to approve this as Greta morgane. But the wing edges just seem too thick and too red for Greta morgane oto. So I did some research and I lightened the photo a bit to see the detail better. I'm quite positive that this is Paula's Clearwing. For this species, the wing edges are thicker and redder as with your indidivual. And in the FW cap, there's some black spotting that is also present. The veining and the white patches all match up as well.
Checklist region(s): Mexico, San Luis Potosi