About Callopistria floridensis Guenée, 1852
Callopistria floridensis, commonly known as the Florida fern moth or Florida fern caterpillar, is a moth species belonging to the family Noctuidae. This species ranges from North America, where it has been recorded in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, New Brunswick, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, south through the Caribbean (including Cuba), Mexico and Central America (including Costa Rica) all the way to Ecuador. The wingspan of adult individuals measures approximately 29 mm (1.1 in). In Florida and tropical regions, adult moths are active throughout the entire year. The caterpillar larvae of this species feed on a variety of ferns, specifically including Nephrolepis exaltata and Pteris vittata. It acts as an occasional pest in greenhouse environments. Researchers have recently discovered that larvae feeding on Pteris vittata carry high levels of arsenic, and this species is the only known terrestrial animal confirmed to accumulate arsenic.
