Identification
forewing generally dark-colored, brownish to gray with distinct lines or pattern, sometimes with tints of other colors; stigma usually whitish or silvery with distinctive shape
hindwing often pale basally, with darker shading distally; color transition may be gradual or sharp
[see CBIF links to images of species in Internet section below]
Season
some species fly from spring through fall (multiple broods); others have one brood in summer
Food
larvae may be specialist feeders on a single type of plant such as dandelion (in A. bimaculata), or generalists on herbaceous plants (in A. precationis), or woody plants (in A. ampla)
Life Cycle
one or more generations per year, depending on species and/or latitude
See Also
several other genera of Plusiinae moths are similar, especially
Syngrapha (see thumbnail images of
eastern species and
western species occurring in Canada)
Internet References
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists for that state, with number pinned: biloba (33), bimaculata (5), precationis (23)
pinned adult images of 9 species occurring in eastern Canada (CBIF)
pinned adult images of 14 species occurring in western Canada (CBIF)
Contributed by
Cotinis on 21 September, 2004 - 12:35am
Additional contributions by
Robin McLeodLast updated 6 January, 2006 - 1:27pm
