Xestia badicollis
Encyclopedia
The Northern Variable Dart, Northern Conifer Dart or White Pine Cutworm when referring to the larval stage (Xestia badicollis) is a moth
of the Noctuidae
family. It is found from Nova Scotia
to North Carolina
, west to Missouri
and Ontario
. It is part of the elimata species group. Three of the species in this group (Xestia praevia
, Xestia elimata
and Xestia badicollis) have no significant difference in both genitals and DNA, suggesting they may be in fact one species.
This wingspan
is 32-45 mm. The moth flies from July to October depending on the location. There is one generation per year.
The larva
feed on Eastern white pine and less frequent balsam fir, eastern hemlock, eastern larch, white spruce and other conifers.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
family. It is found from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, west to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It is part of the elimata species group. Three of the species in this group (Xestia praevia
Xestia praevia
Xestia praevia is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in Canada south to California. It is part of the elimata species group...
, Xestia elimata
Xestia elimata
The Southern Variable Dart or Variable Climbing Caterpillar when referring to the caterpillar is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in the Eastern part of North America, including Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland and New England. It is part of the elimata species...
and Xestia badicollis) have no significant difference in both genitals and DNA, suggesting they may be in fact one species.
This wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 32-45 mm. The moth flies from July to October depending on the location. There is one generation per year.
The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
feed on Eastern white pine and less frequent balsam fir, eastern hemlock, eastern larch, white spruce and other conifers.