Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944
Xestia smithii
This record describes Xestia smithii (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
forewing varies from pinkish to reddish or grayish-brown, with slightly darker shading in median area and beyond PM line; small black blotch on costa near apex is sharpest dark marking; lines double, grayish, faint hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell] Specimens identified by DNA analysis: genitalia
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Noctuini
- Genus
- Xestia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
throughout United States, and every province and territory of Canada except Nunavut
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from June to October
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on alder, apple, avens, dock, false hellebore, grape, nettle, raspberry, salmonberry, strawberry, thimbleberry, violet, white birch
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Xestia smithii. 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 Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Robert H. Biagi , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944
What is Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944?
Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944 (Xestia smithii) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944?
wingspan 35-40 mm
How do you identify Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944?
forewing varies from pinkish to reddish or grayish-brown, with slightly darker shading in median area and beyond PM line; small black blotch on costa near apex is sharpest dark marking; lines double, grayish, faint hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell] Specimens identified by DNA analysis: genitalia
Where is Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944 found?
Range: throughout United States, and every province and territory of Canada except Nunavut
What does Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944 eat?
The diet of the Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944 includes larvae feed on alder, apple, avens, dock, false hellebore, grape, nettle, raspberry, salmonberry, strawberry, thimbleberry, violet, white birch.
When is Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944 active?
Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944: seasonal activity - adults fly from June to October.