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A small (approximately 2.5 cm wingspan) flimsy moth with a small body and broad wings. Wings light grey, mottled. Basal area often with some red brown, antemedian line prominent, black. The area between the antemedian and postmedian lines rust-red, and a small red-brown and black patch on the costa before the apex. Hindwings light grey, with faint darker grey lines. The straight black antemedian line followed by the wide red median band should separate X. packardata McD. from all other Xanthorhoe sp. except labradorensis. The Labrador and Packard's Carpets are frequently misidentified in collections and elsewhere, and they must be examined structurally for positive identification (see attached diagnosis, below). In packardata the aedeagus is very slender (about 5x or more long as wide, with a peculiar cluster of about 10 long hair-like setae at the apex of the aedeagus. The apex of the valve is flat with a small dorsal process. In labradorensis, the aedeagus is about 3-4x as long as wide with a large split cluster of stout sharp tapered spines at the apex.