Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands
Abagrotis pulchrata [Noctuidae]
Wingspan 3.6 cm. Forewing is dark red-brown with bands of pale gray. This noctuid is common but has a limited distribution in forests in the Pacific West from Vancouver Island to central California. This species was once regarded as rare but we have found it to be abundant in western Oregon, particularly in the Siskiyou Mountains. Moths fly in late summer. Caterpillars feed on the foliage of maple (Acer), alder (Alnus), hazelnut (Corylus), and willow (Salix).
Similar species: Abagrotis scopeops forewing is black-brown to red-brown with a gray submarginal border and discal spots strongly outlined in gray, widely distributed in western North America, especially in dry forests; Abagrotis variata forewing is black-brown to red-brown with a gray submarginal border but the discal spots are obscure, widely distributed in riparian habitats in western North America, caterpillars feed on the foliage of flowering trees and shrubs, particularly willow.
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