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Species Abagrotis discoidalis - Hodges#11035

brown moth - Abagrotis discoidalis Abagrotis discoidalis Noctuidae: Euxoa furtivus ? - Abagrotis discoidalis Noctuidae: Euxoa furtivus ? - Abagrotis discoidalis Abagrotis discoidalis  - Abagrotis discoidalis Abagrotis discoidalis Abagrotis discoidalis? - Abagrotis discoidalis Abagrotis discoidalis? - Abagrotis discoidalis
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Subfamily Noctuinae (Cutworm or Dart Moths)
Tribe Noctuini
Subtribe Noctuina
Genus Abagrotis
Species discoidalis (Abagrotis discoidalis - Hodges#11035)
Hodges Number
11035
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Abagrotis discoidalis (Grote, 1876)
Agrotis discoidalis Grote, 1876
Size
FW length: 13-17 mm (1); wingspan: ~33 mm. (2)
Identification
Can be easily separated from other species of Abagrotis by the dark streak passing through the orbicular and reniform spots, and in particular by the black filling in the space between the two spots (3).
"Larva light gray above the spiracular line with paler middorsal and subdorsal lines. There is a series of dark diffuse segmental subdorsal markings that become black along their lower edges. The spiracles are blackish brown with brown rims. The head is pale with darker coronal stripes and maculations" (4).
Range
A western species, ranging from the dry interior of WA , OR and CA, east to n. AZ and NM, CO and north into southern AB (3). MPG includes additional records from ID, UT, NV, and BC (2). Also known from MT (4).
Habitat
Dry prairie grassland with their hostplant present (3).
Season
Primarily May to early October (1) (2) (4).
Food
Appears to be a foodplant specialist feeding on greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) in the Chenopodiaceae (1) (3) (5).
Print References
Grote, A.R. 1876. On Noctuidae from the Pacific Coast of North America. Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. 3: 82, pl. 4, fig. 9.