Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands
Stretchia muricina [Noctuidae]
Wingspan 3.2 cm. Forewing with the orbicular and reniform spots fused together to form a large, white v-shaped spot, the median area dark gray to red with the discal spots outlined in black, the postmedian and submarginal area white to pale gray; males with pectinate antennae. This noctuid is common and widely distributed in wet conifer forests of western North America. Moths fly in early spring. Caterpillars feed on the foliage of currant and gooseberry (Ribes).
Similar species: Stretchia pictipennis is larger, forewing with a gray submarginal area, endemic to California and southwest Oregon; Stretchia plusiaeformis forewing is more pointed and uniform gray without the dark median area, widely distributed in dry forests, caterpillars feed on the foliage of currant (Ribes); Acerra normalis is larger, forewing with fused discal spots broadly outlined in black; Cerastis enigmatica forewing is red-brown, prothoracic collar is pale yellow, male antennae filiform.
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