Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Feltia herilis (Grote, 1873)
* phylogenetic sequence # 933503
Numbers
Eighteen
Feltia species are found in America north of Mexico.
(1)Identification
Adult: forewing dark violet-gray to violet-brown, including costa; PM line more complete than in other Feltia species, and orbicular spot "fatter" and more rounded or U-shaped; pale whitish streak running longitudinally through center of wing stops abruptly just below level of reniform spot, which is also pale whitish; orbicular spot is same dark color as the strip running along the costa; no pale streaks in subterminal area; hindwing medium gray on outer half, shading to light yellowish-gray on inner half
Photo from Mark Dreiling of a specimen determined by DNA.
Range
all of United States, and coast to coast in southern Canada
Habitat
Varied, fields, cultivated lands.
Adults may be abundant at lights in late summer into fall.
Food
Larvae feed on more than 40 plant species including crops, forages, vegetables, and forbs/herbs.
Adults may take nectar--I've seen it feeding on Blazing Star (Liatris) at night. [Patrick Coin]
Remarks
Often the first Feltia species to appear each year (usually in July), up to a month earlier than the other common species. Perhaps this is the origin of the alternate common name, Herald Dart (?)
See Also
The other 3 common species of Feltia all have a triangular or V-shaped orbicular spot (not oval or U-shaped), a pale whitish strip along the costa, and some amount of pale streaking in the subterminal area.
Feltia jaculifera has a distinctly longer claviform spot and has pale shading of forewing along the inner margin.
Feltia subgothica and
Feltia tricosa are both similar but have pale shading of the forewing along the inner margin.
Print References
Lafontaine, J. D., 2004. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 27.1:
p. 219; pl. J.38-39.
(2)
Covell,
p. 91, plate 19 #10.
(3)
Lafontaine JD, Schmidt BC (2010) Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America North of Mexico.
p. 106.
(1)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - range map, photos of living and pinned adults.
BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - species account with collection map and photos of pinned adults.
distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)