Abagrotis vittifrons

Grote, 1864

Pale-edged Dart

Abagrotis vittifrons, commonly known as the Pale-edged Dart, is a noctuid first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1864. It is found in western North America, ranging from the northern Great Plains to the Pacific coast and southward to the southwestern United States. The has a single with active in late summer.

Abagrotis vittifrons by (c) Doug Macaulay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Doug Macaulay. Used under a CC-BY license.CATALOGUE-BM-PLATE LXXVII by Sir GEORGE F. HAMPSON, Bart.. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Abagrotis vittifrons: /ˌæbəˈɡroʊtɪs ˌvɪtɪˈfrɒnz/

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Identification

Available sources do not provide specific diagnostic features to distinguish this from other Abagrotis species.

Images

Appearance

Wingspan approximately 34–35 mm. Specific coloration and pattern details are not documented in available sources.

Habitat

Inhabits regions from the northern Great Plains through western mountain and coastal areas to the southwestern United States. Specific microhabitat preferences are not documented.

Distribution

North America: eastern North Dakota and southwestern Saskatchewan west to the southern interior of British Columbia, south to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Distribution records confirm presence in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Seasonality

are on wing from August to September in one per year, with timing varying by location.

Life Cycle

Single per year (). Detailed stages are not documented in available sources.

Behavior

activity in late summer. Other are not documented.

More Details

Taxonomic History

Originally described as Noctua vittifrons by Grote in 1864 before transfer to Abagrotis.

Observation Data

As of available records, the has relatively few documented observations (45 records in iNaturalist), suggesting it may be underreported or genuinely uncommon.

Sources and further reading