Cissusa indiscreta

Variable forewing coloration (tan to dark brown) may cause confusion with related species; spring flight period and association with oak habitats provide contextual clues. Definitive identification requires examination of genitalia or reference to regional keys.

Wingspan 35–41 mm. Forewings with highly variable ground color ranging from orange-tan or gray-tan to darker brown. Pattern details not specified in sources.

Oak woodlands and mixed hardwood forests. Strongly associated with Quercus-dominated environments.

Western North America: British Columbia south through California, and eastward from Arizona to central Colorado.

Adults active in spring. One generation per year (univoltine).

Larvae feed on Quercus species, specifically including Quercus garryana. Adult diet not documented.

• Quercus - larval food plantGenus-level host
• Quercus garryana - larval food plantSpecific documented host

Complete metamorphosis with single annual generation. Larval stage feeds on oak foliage; pupation and overwintering details not documented.

Larval herbivore on oak species; contributes to nutrient cycling in oak woodland ecosystems. Specific ecological functions (pollination, predation, parasitism) not documented.

No documented economic or agricultural significance. Occasionally encountered by naturalists and moth enthusiasts in western North America.

• Other Cissusa speciesSimilar size range and general morphology; require genitalia examination or geographic context for separation
• Other Erebidae in oak habitatsShared habitat and seasonal activity; variable forewing coloration overlaps with multiple species

• oak specialist
• western North America
• spring moth
• univoltine

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life