Ctenucha virginica, the Virginia ctenucha, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper in 1794.
The wingspan ranges from 40mm50mm.[1] The wing color varies from black to olive brown. The body is a metallic blue green. The head is yellow orange, with feathery antennae. The caterpillar (about 20–25 mm) has multiple tufts of white and yellow hair.[2] It undergoes metamorphosis in May–August.
It is endemic to eastern North America, from Newfoundland south to Virginia. According to the University of Alberta, there has been a westward expansion in the last 60 years as it has reached the Canadian Rockies and is now found in all Canadian provinces.[3]
Larvae feed on a variety of host plants including various grasses, irises, and sedges.Adults drink nectar from flowers including goldenrod.[1]