I have a hard time believing that all of the variation I see in M. bowditchi across NE and SD is a single species. To date I have been tracking 4 distinct host-specific forms. This is the form I find on Artemisia cana and A. tridentata. The form I find on A. filifolia appears to be what was originally described as the nominate subspecies. I encounter yet another form on Krascheninnikovia lanata which is much lighter than this form, but less boldly marked than the form on A. filifolia. The form I find on A. frigida is especially interesting as it is especially pallid and easily mistaken for a muted M. angustipennis.

It is also worth noting that these forms differ in behavior as well. The forms on Artemisia filifolia and Krascheninnikovia lanata are very shittish, the form on A. tridentata and A. cana is only moderately skittish, and one all but has to step on the form on A. frigida to get them to jump.