Species Details

Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »

IdentificationA medium-size (approx.3.5 cm wingspan) moth with clear light grey forewings and shining white hindwings. Forewing markings are highly variable, but often unmarked except for a thin black basal streak, thin black lines partially outlining the orbicular spot and filling the space between the orbicular and reniform, and some black streaking along the outer veins. Some specimens are much more extensively marked. Vocalis lacks the prominent rusty scaling characteristic of pallidicollis. Lafontaine states that females of the two species can by separated by the raised, sclerotized lip-like rim of the ostium bursa of vocalis. However I find this a less useful character than one would expect! A more useful character appears to be the size and shape of the bursa itself. In vocalis the small, clear round lower half of the bursa is well defined from the thick-walled upper half; in pallidicollis the lower chamber is larger and blends less perceptively into the upper half. Lafontaine (1998) illustrates the adults and genitalia of both sexes. There are a number of other moths, in particular several species of Xestia, which superficially look like vocalis.

Scientific Name Setagrotis vocalis Habitat Open Douglas fir grasslands Identification
A medium-size (approx.3.5 cm wingspan) moth with clear light grey forewings and shining white hindwings. Forewing markings are highly variable, but often unmarked except for a thin black basal streak, thin black lines…
A medium-size (approx.3.5 cm wingspan) moth with clear light grey forewings and shining white hindwings. Forewing markings are highly variable, but often unmarked except for a thin black basal streak, thin black lines partially outlining the orbicular spot and filling the space between the orbicular and reniform, and some black streaking along the outer veins. Some specimens are much more extensively marked. Vocalis lacks the prominent rusty scaling characteristic of pallidicollis. Lafontaine states that females of the two species can by separated by the raised, sclerotized lip-like rim of the ostium bursa of vocalis. However I find this a less useful character than one would expect! A more useful character appears to be the size and shape of the bursa itself. In vocalis the small, clear round lower half of the bursa is well defined from the thick-walled upper half; in pallidicollis the lower chamber is larger and blends less perceptively into the upper half. Lafontaine (1998) illustrates the adults and genitalia of both sexes. There are a number of other moths, in particular several species of Xestia, which superficially look like vocalis.
Life History Poorly known. Vocalis is single brooded and the adults will come to light. The larval host plant(s) are unknown, as are the larvae. The Alberta specimen was collected in mid-August. Range
A western species, distributed throughout much of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains, east to central Montana, western South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico and west Texas, west to Nevada and eastern California. The…
A western species, distributed throughout much of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains, east to central Montana, western South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico and west Texas, west to Nevada and eastern California. The only Canadian record is from Waterton Lakes National Park, where it was found in open Douglas fir grasslands on a south facing slope at about 1350 m elevation.

Citation

Page Citation for Setagrotis vocalis

Page Citation

"Species Details - Setagrotis vocalis, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-6110. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Authorship

Name Anweiler, G. G.
Role species page author
Date 2007

References

Specimen Information

There are 44 specimens of this Species.

44 results plotted on map in 9 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM59430 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park Collected BySchmidt, B. C. Date Collected2006-08-14

UASM99519 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2008-09-08

UASM99527 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2008-09-08

UASM99543 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2008-09-08

UASM188375 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM188376 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108560 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Lake Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-23

UASM108561 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Lake Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-23

UASM108562 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108563 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108564 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108565 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108566 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108567 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108568 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108569 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108570 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108571 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108572 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108573 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

UASM108574 - Setagrotis vocalis

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedUnited States: Nevada, Elko county, Angel Creek Campground Collected ByLafontaine; Troubridge, J. Date Collected2001-07-22

Adult Seasonal Distribution