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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Erebidae 930336 – 8126   Leptarctia californiae (Walker, 1855)

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Asteraceae Betulaceae Caryophyllaceae Dennstaedtiaceae Euphorbiaceae Fabaceae Fagaceae Grossulariaceae Orobanchaceae[Scrophulariaceae] Plantaginaceae[Scrophulariaceae] Rosaceae Salicaceae.  Host genera: Acmispon[=Lotus] Arctium Betula Castilleja Croton Melilotus Penstemon Plantago Pteridium Quercus Ribes Rubus Salix Stellaria.  Notes: variety of trees and low plants (Powell & Opler 2009), generalist on a variety of herbaceous vegetation (Crabo et al 2014).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: californiae (Walker, 1855) (Nemeophila) - MONA 1983: 8126 adnata (Boisduval, 1869) (Lithosia) albifascia French, 1889 (Leptarctia) boisduvalii Butler, 1881 (Leptarctia) californica (Boisduval, 1869) ([unknown]) decia (Boisduval, 1869) (Lithosia) dimidiata Stretch, 1872 (Leptarctia) fulvofasciata Butler, 1881 (Leptarctia) latifasciata Butler, 1881 (Leptarctia) lena (Boisduval, 1869) (Lithosia) melanis (Boisduval, 1869) ([unknown]) occidentalis French, 1889 (Leptarctia) stretchii Butler, 1881 (Leptarctia) wrightii French, 1889 (Leptarctia)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 47.13f, .14m, .15m; p. 269. Book Review and ordering Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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