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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Noctuidae 933571 – 10945   Xestia xanthographa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)              Square-spot Rustic

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Asteraceae Betulaceae Caryophyllaceae Cyperaceae Fabaceae Fagaceae Lamiaceae Plantaginaceae Poaceae ..  Host genera: Achillea Arrhenatherum Betula Brachypodium Bromus Carex Crataegus Cytisus Dactylis Deschampsia Elymu...  Host extended: polyphagous on deciduous trees & grasses (Lafontaine 1998); climbing cutworm on grasses & herbaceous...  (Kimberley & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: xanthographa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) (Noctua) - MONA 1983: [NEW] algirica (Corti & Draudt, 1933) (Rhyacia) almohada (Wagner, 1918) (Agrotis) budensis (Freyer, 1838) (Agrotis) elutior (Alphéraky, 1887) (Agrotis) faroulti (Rothschild, 1920) (Epipsilia) lepida (Constantinio, 1922) (Agrotis) praecipuina (Rothschild, 1914) (Episilia) tetragona (Haworth, 1809) (Noctua) trumani (Smith, 1903) (Noctua) - MONA 1983: [10945] Taxonomic Notes: Xestia xanthographa: Includes as a synonym Xestia trumani [10945].

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. Lafontaine, J. D., 1998. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 27.3: p. 113; pl. 2.34-35. order or free PDF 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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