The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other families of the Noctuoidea. It was considered the largest family in Lepidoptera for a long time, but after regrouping Lymantriinae, Catocalinae and Calpinae within the family Erebidae, the latter holds this title now. Currently, Noctuidae is the second largest family in Noctuoidea, with about 1,089 genera and 11,772 species. This classification is still contingent, as more changes continue to appear between Noctuidae and Erebidae.
Xestia is a genus of noctuid moths. They are the type genus of the tribe Xestiini in subfamily Noctuinae, though some authors merge this tribe with the Noctuini. Species in this genus are commonly known as "clays", "darts" or "rustics", but such names are commonplace among Noctuidae. Xestia moths have a wide distribution, though they most prominently occur in the Holarctic.
Xestia dolosa, known by the names greater black-letter dart, woodland spotted cutworm and spotted cutworm is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to Florida west to Texas, north to North Dakota and Manitoba.
Xestia elimata, the southern variable dart or variable climbing caterpillar, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in the eastern part of North America, including Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland and New England.
Xestia badicollis, the northern variable dart, northern conifer dart or white pine cutworm when referring to the larval stage, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1873. It is found in North America from Nova Scotia to North Carolina, west to Missouri and Ontario.
Gondysia smithii, or Smith's darkwing, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in the United States, from North Carolina southward to Georgia and westward to Texas northward in the Mississippi Valley to Missouri. It has recently been recorded from Virginia and Florida but not yet from Louisiana or Arkansas, although it does occur close by and would be expected in those states as well. It occurs in open savanna and mesic woodland habitats.
The fawn brown dart is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in southern Canada and the northern United States from southern Quebec and eastern Massachusetts west to British Columbia and southern Washington. In the Rocky Mountain region it occurs as far south as northern New Mexico, north-eastern Arizona and central Idaho. It is listed as a species of special concern in Connecticut.
Euxoa tessellata, the tessellate dart or striped cutworm is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is the most widespread Euxoa-species in North America. It is found from Newfoundland to Alaska, south in the west to California, Arizona, New Mexico, south in the east to Florida. It seems to be absent from Texas and adjacent eastern states.
Abagrotis magnicupida, the one-dotted dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by J. Donald Lafontaine in 1998. It is found from southern Massachusetts west to Illinois, eastern Missouri and central Nebraska, south to North Carolina, Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Texas.
Eueretagrotis attentus, the attentive dart or daggered heath dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan and adjacent northern states, south in the Appalachians to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There is one record from northern Georgia.
Protolampra brunneicollis, the brown-collared dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1864. It is found in eastern North America from New Brunswick to Alberta in southern Canada, and in the United States from Maine to North Carolina and Tennessee west to Mississippi, north to Minnesota, with scattered records in the west from North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana.
Pseudohermonassa bicarnea, the pink-spotted dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in eastern North America, and as far west as south-central Saskatchewan and central North Dakota, south to western North Carolina. It has recently been recorded from Tennessee.
Xestia dilucida, the dull reddish dart or reddish heath dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Herbert Knowles Morrison in 1875. It is found in the United States from southern Maine to northern Florida, west to central Ohio and eastern Texas.
Xestia normaniana, or Norman's dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1874. It is found in North America from Nova Scotia across southern and central Canada to Alberta. In the eastern United States it ranges from Maine to eastern Minnesota, and south along the Appalachians to western North Carolina. It has recently been recorded from Tennessee.
Xestia perquiritata, the boomerang dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Herbert Knowles Morrison in 1874. It is found across North America from Newfoundland, Labrador and northern New England, west to central Yukon, British Columbia and Washington. There are several disjunct populations, including one in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and a coastal bog in central Oregon.
Coenophila opacifrons, the blueberry dart or plain-faced blueberry dart, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1878. It is found in North America from Labrador and Newfoundland, south to New Jersey, west across the boreal forest to eastern British Columbia, south in the mountains to southern Montana.
Xestia speciosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in northern Europe, including Fennoscandia, the Baltic region, parts of Russia and further through northern Asia to the Pacific Ocean and Japan. It is also found in the mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. It is also present in north-western North America.
Xestia ochreago is a moth of the family Noctuidae.
Xestia wockei is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is known from Siberia and northern North America, including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.
Xestia tecta is a moth of the family Noctuidae. In Europe the species is only known from the boreal area of Fennoscandia, north-western Russia and the northern Ural Mountains. Outside Europe it occurs in northern and central Siberia and the north-western USA including Alaska as well as north-western and central Canada.
