Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641
Agrotis vetusta
This record describes Agrotis vetusta (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW light powder- grey or grey-brown, with a dark reniform spot. PM is a series of black dots. Terminal line is a series of black dots. HW and abdomen white. Antennae simple and sexes similar. Larva : Gray with longitudinal darker subdorsal lines. The head is pale orange with a number of dark dorsal spots. Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Noctuini
- Genus
- Agrotis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Sandy soils.
Geographic Range
Widespread in North America; coast to coast in Canada, north to Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from late July to mid October.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on broadleaf herbaceous plants in at least 13 families. "This species is a soil-burrowing cutworm that feeds on general herbaceous vegetation in such families as Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Solanaceae. It appears to prefer loose, sandy soils." ( Pacific Northwest Moths )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agrotis vetusta. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Robert Lord Zimlich , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641
What is Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641?
Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641 (Agrotis vetusta) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641?
FWL ≈ 15-21 mm WS ≈ 35-42mm
How do you identify Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641?
Adult : FW light powder- grey or grey-brown, with a dark reniform spot. PM is a series of black dots. Terminal line is a series of black dots. HW and abdomen white. Antennae simple and sexes similar. Larva : Gray with longitudinal darker subdorsal lines. The head is pale orange with a number of dark dorsal spots. Genitalia:
Where is Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Sandy soils. |
| Range | Widespread in North America; coast to coast in Canada, north to Yukon and Northwest Territories. |
What does Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641 eat?
The diet of the Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641 includes Larvae feed on broadleaf herbaceous plants in at least 13 families. This species is a soil-burrowing cutworm that feeds on general herbaceous vegetation in such families as Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Solanaceae. It appears to prefer loose, sandy soils. ( Pacific Northwest Moths ).
When is Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641 active?
Old Man Dart - Hodges#10641: seasonal activity - Adults fly from late July to mid October..