University of Alberta Museums Search

A medium-sized moth (3.5-3.8 cm wingspan) with dark streaky grey-brown and yellow-brown forewings and white hindwings. The head and thorax are dark brown, with a narrow black band on the prothoracic collar and a mix of black and white scales on the thorax and the margins of the tegulae. The forewings are streaked longitudinally, and lack the transverse lines. There is a black basal streak, and less distinct black scaling along the veins, especially on the lower half of the forewings. The area between the veins tends to be lighter yellow brown. The costa, cubital and anal veins are variably "frosted" with white scales. The reniform and small oval orbicular spots are indistinct, ringed with light yellow-brown scales and filled with darker grey-brown ones. There is a slightly darker brown wedge at the upper outer margin, a narrow dark terminal line, and the fringe is a mix of brown and white scales. The hindwings are white, with a few brown scales marking the discal dot, along the veins, and forming a narrow terminal line or band. The combination of dark streaky brown forewings with white frosting along the veins and white hindwings will separate E. nevada from other Alberta Euxoa. Euxoa nevada belongs to the subgenus Euxoa, characterized mainly by the shape of the vesica in males. Keys to the subgenera and species and illustrations of adults and the genitalia of both sexes are available in Lafontaine, 1987

Southern Saskatchewan west to southern British Columbia, south to northern New Mexico and Arizona and southern California. E. nevada has been collected very locally in southern Alberta, north to Dry Island Provincial Park.