University of Alberta Museums Search

This species belongs to the detersa group of the subgenus Euxoa. It is a medium-sized moth (3.3-3.8 cm wingspan) with pale grey-brown wi¡ngs. The costa, orbicular and reniform spots are very light grey-white, and the cubital vein is lightly marked in the same color. The forewing ground is soft grey with a light tan tinge. There is a prominent black basal streak, and the discal area before the orbicular and between the orbicular and the reniform is filled with black scales. The postmedian line is faintly marked in darker grey scales, and the terminal area has a darker grey band, bordered on the proximal side with several small, blackish saggitate spots. The hindwings are sooty grey, darkening slightly on the outer half. The discal crescent and veins are lightly marked with darker scales. Sexes similar, but males with biserrate or bifasculate antennae; females with simple ones. Most likely to be mistaken for E. clausa, which lacks white scaling on the cubital vein, is streakier in the postmedian area, and has wider antennae.

To date known from south Dakota and southern Alberta, with a disjunct (?) population in the NWT. In Alberta it has been collected at Lost River, Writing-on-Stone and Dinosaur Provincial Parks north to the Red Deer River east of Trochu, as well as in the subalpine at Hailstone Butte.