« Back to your search

Species Details

Abagrotis cupida

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

IdentificationA medium-size (3.3-3.5 cm wingspan) moth with orange-brown or less commonly grey-brown or brown forewings, and dull black hindwings with light red-brown fringe. The small dark orbicular and more prominent dark reniform usually stands out against the ground. The lines, and in particular the antemedian and postmedian lines are doubled and indicated by an incomplete series of dark scales. The terminal area is the same color but lighter than the rest of the wing, and is usually separated from the rest of the wing by a dark shade or line. Some specimens are speckled with darker scales, especially on the basal half. Antennae simple. Sexes are alike except that females (as illustrated) have a wide, flattened abdomen. Similar to reddish forms of placida, but lacking the median shade crossing the forewing in placida, and with different genitalia. Specimens of trigona are usually smaller, have a shorter and more angular wing and are a lighter shade of orange. Some specimens of cupida may be nearly impossible to separate from similar forms of brunneipennis, but the later are usually a darker glossy red-brown color. Questionable specimens must be identified by genitalic characters. Adults and genitalia of both sexes are illustrated by Lafontaine (1998)

Scientific Name Abagrotis cupida Habitat Most specimens have been found associated with dry sandy soils or arid clay badlands. Identification
A medium-size (3.3-3.5 cm wingspan) moth with orange-brown or less commonly grey-brown or brown forewings, and dull black hindwings with light red-brown fringe. The small dark orbicular and more prominent dark…
A medium-size (3.3-3.5 cm wingspan) moth with orange-brown or less commonly grey-brown or brown forewings, and dull black hindwings with light red-brown fringe. The small dark orbicular and more prominent dark reniform usually stands out against the ground. The lines, and in particular the antemedian and postmedian lines are doubled and indicated by an incomplete series of dark scales. The terminal area is the same color but lighter than the rest of the wing, and is usually separated from the rest of the wing by a dark shade or line. Some specimens are speckled with darker scales, especially on the basal half. Antennae simple. Sexes are alike except that females (as illustrated) have a wide, flattened abdomen. Similar to reddish forms of placida, but lacking the median shade crossing the forewing in placida, and with different genitalia. Specimens of trigona are usually smaller, have a shorter and more angular wing and are a lighter shade of orange. Some specimens of cupida may be nearly impossible to separate from similar forms of brunneipennis, but the later are usually a darker glossy red-brown color. Questionable specimens must be identified by genitalic characters. Adults and genitalia of both sexes are illustrated by Lafontaine (1998)
Life History
Adults are nocturnal and come to light. There is a single annual brood with adults in late summer. Adults have been collected in Alberta from early August through mid-September. The larva was described by Crumb…
Adults are nocturnal and come to light. There is a single annual brood with adults in late summer. Adults have been collected in Alberta from early August through mid-September. The larva was described by Crumb (1956:117) under the name “Rynchagrotis cupida, western larva”. Reported larval hosts include willow and cultivated apple, grape and peach trees, with larvae reportedly causing damage to buds and new growth on the fruit trees (Rings et al, 1992).
Diet Info Reported larval hosts include willow and cultivated apple, grape and peach trees. Notes
Abagrotis cupida is frequently overlooked and misidentified as the more common A. placida. It is also very closely related to A. brunneipennis - both species bar-coding the same. Abagrotis brunneipennis is a bit…
Abagrotis cupida is frequently overlooked and misidentified as the more common A. placida. It is also very closely related to A. brunneipennis - both species bar-coding the same. Abagrotis brunneipennis is a bit larger, has a darker more glossy appearance, and the orbicular and reniform are less prominent and contrasting. In Alberta they appear to be separated by distribution and habitat as well, with cupida replaced in sandy areas in the cooler boreal forest and foothills regions by brunneipennis. Both species have been collected in the in the Redwater-Gibbons area north of Edmonton, with brunneipennis in pine forest on old sand dunes and cupida on dry eroding south-facing grassland slopes along the Sturgeon River.

Citation

Page Citation for Abagrotis cupida

Page Citation

"Species Details - Abagrotis cupida, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-6318/9-125793. Accessed 06 Oct. 2024.

References

Specimen Information

There are 97 specimens of this Species.

96 results plotted on map in 16 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM2154 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Wainwright Ecological Reserve Collected ByAnweiler, G. G.; Schmidt, B. C. Date Collected2000-08-10

UASM2403 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected1999-09-07

UASM34593 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Gibbons Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2003-08-19

BIRD14730 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rochon Sands Provincial Park Collected ByBird, C. D. Date Collected2003-09-06

BIRD14731 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rochon Sands Provincial Park Collected ByBird, C. D. Date Collected2004-09-11

UASM59807 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Dinosaur Provincial Park Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-14

UASM59808 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Dinosaur Provincial Park Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-14

UASM59798 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-04

UASM59799 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-04

UASM59800 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-04

UASM59801 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-04

UASM59802 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-04

UASM59803 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2001-08-05

UASM59804 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2002-08-10

UASM59805 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2002-08-10

UASM59806 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Tolman Bridge Recreational Area Collected ByAnweiler, G. G. Date Collected2002-08-10

UASM105195 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Saskatchewan, Burstall Collected ByTroubridge, J. Date Collected1999-07-13

UASM105196 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Saskatchewan, Burstall Collected ByTroubridge, J. Date Collected1998-07-01

UASM105197 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Saskatchewan, Burstall Collected ByTroubridge, J. Date Collected1998-07-01

UASM105198 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Saskatchewan, Burstall Collected ByTroubridge, J. Date Collected1998-07-01

UASM105199 - Abagrotis cupida

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Place CollectedCanada: Saskatchewan, Burstall Collected ByTroubridge, J. Date Collected1998-07-01

Adult Seasonal Distribution