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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Noctuidae 933588 – 10942   Xestia c-nigrum (Linnaeus, 1758)              Lesser Black-letter Dart

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Amaranthaceae[Chenopodiaceae] Alliaceae[Liliaceae] Apiaceae Asteraceae Brassicaceae Boraginaceae Cam..  Host genera: Acer Allium Apium Aronia[=Photinia] Avena Beta Brassica Cichorium Cirsium Comptonia Daucus Helianthu...  Host extended: hardwoods, herbs & grasses (Crabo et al 2014); extremely wide range of broad-leaved trees, shrubs & ...  (Kimberley & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: c-nigrum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Phalaena) - MONA 1983: [NEW] adela Franclemont, 1980 (Xestia) - MONA 1983: [10942] degenerata (Staudinger, 1889) (Agrotis) depravata (Bang-Haas, 1912) (Agrotis) ignorata (Eitschberger, 1972) (Amathes) kurilana (Bryk, 1942) (Diarsia) nunatrum (Esper, 1786) (Bombyx) singularis (Esper, 1786) (Bombyx) Taxonomic Notes: Xestia c-nigrum: Includes as a subspecies Xestia adela [10942].

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. 132; pl. 3.27-29. order or free PDF Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 58.21f; p. 315. 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 Block Island Moths Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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