''Graphiphora augur'', the double dart or soothsayer, is a
moth of the family
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...
. The species was
first described by
Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in all of
Canada and most of the northern parts of the United States, south in the west to
California and
New Mexico. It is also found throughout Eurasia, from the
British Isles and
Scandinavia to
Siberia and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
Technical description and variation
The
wingspan is 35–42 mm. Forewing uniform brownish grey with a reddish tinge; stigmata concolorous, black edged; claviform narrow; orbicular variable, round, or flattened, sometimes prolonged to touch inner line; reniform with outer edge swollen in the middle, sometimes followed by a dark shade: hindwing a little paler. Form ''hippophaes''
eyer
East Penn School District is a large public school district in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Established in 1952, it was initially known as the East Penn Union School District.
East Penn School ...
is a grey form with the reddish tinge wanting; — ''helvetina'' Knaggs is a pale blurred form with obscure markings, and the fringe of hindwing pink.
Biology
Adults are on wing from June to August depending on the location. There is one generation per year.
The larva vary from purplish brown to greenish grey with a double row of whitish spots on the dorsum and oblique dark streaks; a dark brown blotch across segment 12, swollen at each end, and edged behind with pale. The larvae feed on various trees and shrubs, including ''
Betula'', ''
Salix caprea'', ''
Salix phylicifolia'', ''
Salix cinerea
''Salix cinerea'' (common sallow, grey sallow, grey willow, grey-leaved sallow, large grey willow, pussy willow, rusty sallow) is a species of willow native to Europe and western Asia.Meikle, R. D. (1984). ''Willows and Poplars of Great Britain ...
'', ''
Populus tremula'', ''
Populus balsamifera'', ''
Ribes'', ''
Rosa'' species (including ''
Rosa acicularis'', ''
Syringa vulgaris'' and ''
Lonicera caerulea'').
Subspecies
*''Graphiphora augur augur'' (Eurasia)
*''Graphiphora augur haruspica'' (Canada, northern United States)
*?''Graphiphora augur sierrae''
*?''Graphiphora augur inopinatus''
References
External links
*
* Taxonomy
*
*
''Lepiforum e.V.''
Noctuinae
Moths of Japan
Moths of Europe
Moths of North America
Moths described in 1775
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius
{{Noctuinae-stub