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A medium-size (3.0 cm. ws.) grey-brown moth easily mistaken for other members of the genus, in particular esurialis in western BC, and dislocata. It is also easy to mistake for a species of Xestia, such as X. normaniana. Worn material, where the dark patch between the orbicular and reniform remains the most prominent marking, can be particularly difficult to identify, and identification may be best made by examining the genitalia. Unlike other Noctuini (except Ochropleura), Diarsia retains a partial corona on the valve. In calgary, the vesica lacks the spine patch found in all other Diarsia but esurialis, and instead has two larger spines, on a plate-like base The valve in calgary is not inflated nor is there a noticeable neck before the cucullus. Female genitalia are indistinguishable or nearly so from both jucunda and dislocata.

TL: AB. Calgary. A western species, occurring in the mountains and foothills from YT south to AZ and NM, west to the Coast Ranges of BC, but replaced along the coast by the closely related D. esurialis. Also a disjunct population in central western CA. The eastern limits of occurrence are unclear. It is known to occur east to the SK-AB boundary, and has been reported to occur across central SK almost to the MB border. Its presence that far east needs confirming. Old records for Vancouver Island probably refer to esurailis.

Diarsia calgary has been taken mainly in the foothills and mountains of the west, where it appears to be quite local and rare. It was named from specimens taken near Calgary by Wolley-Dod. Diarsia calgary may be difficult to identify, especially when dealing with rubbed specimens, but there are excellent characters in the male genitalia that can be used to positively identify most specimens. Lafontaine (1998) states that calgary occurs only in the mountains and foothills of the west, but shows a locality on the accompanying map for SK just east of the SK-AB boundary. In addition, Hooper (1996) gives several locations across central SK, west to near the MB border. Thus it appears that calgary may range across much of the southern Boreal forest area of AB and SK as well.