Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Hemigraphiphora plebeia
described in 1898 by Smith, who originally placed it in genus Noctua
Identification
Adult: forewing light grayish-brown with dark gray reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots forming a tight dark cluster -- a prominent feature; AM and PM lines double, broken or indistinct; subterminal line has small dark patch at costa; hindwing gray (paler basally) with dark veins and discal spot, but pale fringe; tegulae ("shoulder pads") dark gray, contrasting against paler color on top of thorax
Range
California and Utah to British Columbia and Alberta
Season
adults fly from August to October in California
Remarks
The type specimens (males and females) were collected in Vancouver, British Columbia and in California.
See Also
the tight dark cluster of spots on the forewing is distinctive
Internet References
presence in California; list of 7 specimen records with dates and locations (U. of California at Berkeley)
presence in Utah; list (Joel Johnson, Utah Lepidopterists Society)
presence in Oregon; list citing 14 specimens in collection, including locally collected specimens (Oregon State U.)
distribution in Canada; list of provinces of occurrence (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)
type specimen locations (Brian Pitkin
et al, Butterflies and Moths of the World)