Identification
Adult: forewing color varies from light tan to yellowish to medium brown with straight, pale yellowish AM and PM lines; AM line stops just short of costa, and both lines may be indistinct in paler individuals; discal spot dark brown, conspicuous; veins in outer half of wing finely lined with pale yellow scales; males in particular usually have a series of poorly-defined dark spots or blotches in median area and across wing beyond PM line
hindwing similarly colored but with no AM line, and smaller, less distinct discal spot
[adapted from description at U. of Alberta]
Range
western United States and southwestern Canada (Oklahoma to California, north to British Columbia and Alberta)
Habitat
shrubby areas along river valleys, arid grasslands; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light
Season
adults fly from March to June in northern regions. several broods in the south.
See Also
the pale yellow PM line on both wings, and the line's lack of a dark border distinguishes irrorata from other Digrammia species, at least in the north
Digrammia neptaria
Print References
Ferguson, D. C., 2008. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 17.2;
p. 315; pl. 8.8-12(1)Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - photos of live and pinned adults.
adult image from Arizona (Larry Line, Maryland)
pinned adult images of three specimens showing range of color and pattern (CBIF)
pinned adult image plus habitat, flight season, description, distribution (G.G. Anweiler, U. of Alberta)
pinned adult image (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)
presence in Oklahoma; PDF doc list (John Nelson and John Fisher, Oklahoma Moth Species)
presence in California; list (U. of California at Berkeley)
distribution in Canada showing BC only, but also occurs in Alberta (CBIF)
Contributed by
Robin McLeod on 21 March, 2006 - 8:05pm
Additional contributions by
Maury HeimanLast updated 13 October, 2011 - 11:41am
