Actebia balanitis explained

Actebia balanitis is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1873.[1] It is commonly known as the Cutworm Moth, and Bracketed Dart Moth.[2]

It is found across North America from north-east Alaska and western Yukon east to east central Saskatchewan and north central South Dakota, south to northern Colorado and west to central Washington and the dry interior of British Columbia. It has also been founded in the northern parts of North Dakota.[3] It is also a native species across Idaho.[4]

The wingspan is 36–40 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August depending on the location. There is one generation per year.[5]

This species has previously been confused with the Palearctic species Actebia squalida, which led to A. squalida to be misreported from North America.[6]

The larvae probably feed on various grasses.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Actebia balanitis (Grote, 1873). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 2 January 2016.
  2. Web site: NatureServe Explorer 2.0 . 2024-08-09 . explorer.natureserve.org.
  3. Web site: Moths of North Dakota . 2024-08-09 . www.ndsu.edu.
  4. Web site: A Cutworm Moth (Actebia balanitis) Idaho Fish and Game . 2024-08-09 . idfg.idaho.gov.
  5. Web site: Anweiler, G. G. . February 16, 2005 . Species Details Actebia balanitis . University of Alberta Museums . E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum . November 14, 2020.
  6. Book: Checklist of the Lepidoptera of British Columbia, Canada . Gregory R. . Pohl . Robert A. . Cannings . Jean-François . Landry . David G. . Holden . Geoffrey G. E. . Scudder . amp . Google Books. . 11 November 2015. 9781483435176 . 29 February 2016.