University of Alberta Museums Search

Euxoa servita is a member of the detersa group in subgenus Euxoa. They are medium-sized (wingspan 2.9-3.4 cm) grey or brownish grey moths, with darker specimens occurring in more mesic habitats. In most Alberta specimens the costa, prominent orbicular and reniform spots, and the subterminal area is pale clear grey. There is a thick dark grey basal dash, a wide black streak to and between the orbicular and reniform spotsand the median and terminal areas are dark grey. The inner margin of the dark terminal area streaks into the subterminal area, including several streaks that extend almost to the reniform spot. Hindwings in both sexes are smoky grey. Females of servita are easily separated from those of auripennis by the stout setae on the ovipositor valve (ear-like flanges in auripennis). Males are difficult to separate, but most can be identified by the streaking from the dark terminal area into the pale subterminal area and by the smooth even postmedian line (scalloped between the veins in auripennis).

Nova Scotia west to northern and interior BC, south in the mountains east of the Great Basin to Arizona and New Mexico. It occurs throughout most of the southern half Alberta, but is most common in the southern Boreal forest, aspen parklands and foothills areas, and in wooded parts of the grasslands.

Euxoa servita can be very difficult to separate from those of the sympatric E. auripennis, which was described by Lafontaine in 1974. Older literature records (i.e. Bowman, 1951) for servita refer to both species.