Finnish Dart
Common NameFinnish Dart
Scientific NameXestia gelida
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyNoctuinae
Wingspan (mm)34
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsdark brown, grey, pale beige, black
HabitatTundra, taiga, peat bogs, fens, subarctic and arctic regions
Geographic RangeNorthern Fennoscandia, Siberia, Alaska, Canada
Host PlantsVaccinium, Empetrum, Betula nana, mosses, lichens
Flight PeriodJuly to August
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are polyphagous on low-growing plants, mosses, and lichens, overwintering often twice before pupating in the soil. Adults are nocturnal.
Identification TipsKey features include the dark, mottled forewings with a very prominent, elongated pale central streak and a pale W-shaped subterminal line. Its occurrence in northern, boggy habitats is also a strong indicator.
Description
A medium-sized, cryptically colored moth with dark brown and grey mottled forewings, featuring a distinctive pale, creamy-beige central streak extending from the wing base.
