Spaelotis bicava

The common name 'western w-marked cutworm' suggests the presence of a distinctive 'W'-shaped marking on the forewings, though specific diagnostic features distinguishing it from related Spaelotis species require examination of genitalia or other detailed morphological characters. The species was described relatively recently (1998), indicating it may have been previously confused with congeners.

North America: confirmed present in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada. The specific epithet 'bicava' and common name 'western' suggest a western Nearctic distribution, though precise range boundaries remain incompletely documented.

As a cutworm moth, larvae likely function as herbivores in soil-dwelling food webs, though specific ecological interactions have not been documented.

The common name 'cutworm' indicates potential larval damage to agricultural or horticultural crops by feeding on plant stems at soil level, though specific economic impact has not been quantified for this species.

• Spaelotis clandestinaClosely related congeneric species; S. bicava was described in 1998, suggesting prior confusion with this and other Spaelotis species. Distinguishing features require expert examination.
• Other Spaelotis speciesGenus Spaelotis contains multiple cutworm species with similar general appearance; accurate identification relies on subtle morphological differences and genitalia examination.

• cutworm
• Noctuidae
• western North America
• soil-dwelling larvae

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