Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) Ipsilon Dart

Pogue, Michael G., 2006, The Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U. S. A., Zootaxa 1215 (1), pp. 1-95 : 19-20

7. Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) Ipsilon Dart (adult), Black Cutworm (larva)

( Fig. 9, Map 6)

Identification: Forewing length 18.0–23.0 mm. Agrotis ipsilon has a dark gray forewing that contrasts with a paler area distal to the postmedial line. There are three triangularshaped black dashes, one adjacent and distal to the reniform spot, and two in the terminal area, one distal to the reniform spot and the other below it. The hindwing is white with gray veins. The amount of gray suffusion in the hindwings is variable.

Flight period: Collected in every month from mid­March to mid­November.

Collected localities: North Carolina: Haywood Co., Cataloochee just off paved road to Cosby, Balsam Mountain Road 6.1 mi N of Jct. Blue Ridge Parkway on Hemphill Bald Trail , Mt. Sterling , Purchase Knob at house, Purchase Knob E of house field, Purchase Knob E of house forest, Purchase Knob house, Purchase Knob N of house, Purchase Knob NE of house field; Swain Co. , Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site p, Mt. Buckley . Tennessee: Blount Co., vicinity of Cades Cove, Cades Cove near Ranger Station , Gregory Bald ; Cocke Co. , Albright Grove ATBI Plot , Cosby ATBI house, Cosby campground area, Cosby campground, Foothills Parkway East , Foothills Parkway south overlook, Foothills Parkway , 2 nd overlook East ; Sevier Co. , Greenbrier Ranger Station , Campsite #20, Park Headquarters , Chimney’s Picnic Area , 6.2 mi S of Sugarlands Visitor Center Cove Hardwood Forest. (55 specimens)

MAP 6. Collecting localities of Agrotis ipsilon .

Elevation range: 1300–6560 ft. (396–1999 m)

General distribution: Widespread throughout North America except the arctic and sub­arctic regions. This is the most widely distributed cutworm in the world, occurring everywhere except the arctic and sub­arctic regions and Antarctica ( Lafontaine 2004).

Larval host: Polyphagous, prefers herbaceous, broad­leaved plants to shrubs and grasses. Recorded larval hosts included asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis L., Liliaceae ), beans ( Fabaceae ), beets ( Beta sp. , Chenopodiaceae ), cabbage ( Brassica oleracea L., Brassicaceae ), carrot ( Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus (Hoffm.) , Apiaceae ), cauliflower ( Brassica oleracea L., Brassicaceae ), corn ( Zea mays L., Poaceae ), cotton ( Gossypium sp. , Malvaceae ), cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. , Ericaceae ), lettuce ( Lactuca sp. Asteraceae ), onion ( Allium sp. , Liliaceae ), potato ( Solanum tuberosum L., Solanaceae ), strawberry ( Fragaria sp. , Rosaceae ), sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L., Chenopodiaceae ), sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum L., Poaceae ), sunflower ( Helianthus sp. L., Asteraceae ), tobacco (Nicotania sp., Solanaceae ), tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L., Solanaceae ), and turnip ( Brassica rapa L., Brassicaceae ). Agrotis ipsilon is mainly a pest in eastern North America and California, and most economic losses occur on corn, cotton, tobacco, and vegetable crops ( Lafontaine 2004).