Double dart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Double dart |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Graphiphora
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| Species: |
G. augur
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| Binomial name | |
| Graphiphora augur (Fabricius, 1775)
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The double dart or soothsayer is a type of moth that belongs to the family Noctuidae. It was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. This moth can be found across Canada and in many northern parts of the United States. In the western U.S., it lives as far south as California and New Mexico. You can also find it throughout Eurasia, from the British Isles and Scandinavia all the way to Siberia and Japan.
Contents
About the Double Dart Moth
The double dart moth has a wingspan of about 35 to 42 millimeters. This is roughly the size of a small to medium-sized butterfly. Its front wings are usually a brownish-grey color, sometimes with a hint of red. The markings on its wings are often the same color as the wing itself, but they have black edges.
Life Cycle and What They Eat
Adult double dart moths are active from June to August. The exact time depends on where they live. There is usually one generation of these moths each year.
The young moths, called larvae or caterpillars, can be purplish-brown or greenish-grey. They have a special pattern on their backs: two rows of whitish spots. They also have dark streaks that go across their bodies. A dark brown spot can be seen on their 12th body segment. This spot is wider at each end and has a pale edge behind it.
These caterpillars enjoy eating leaves from many different trees and shrubs. Some of their favorite plants include:
- Birch trees (Betula)
- Various types of willow (like Salix caprea, Salix phylicifolia, and Salix cinerea)
- Aspen trees (Populus tremula)
- Populus balsamifera
- Currant bushes (Ribes)
- Different kinds of Rose plants (including Rosa acicularis)
- Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
- Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea)
Different Types of Double Dart Moths
Within the Graphiphora augur species, there are a few different types, called subspecies. These are slightly different versions of the moth that live in various parts of the world.
- Graphiphora augur augur is found in Eurasia.
- Graphiphora augur haruspica lives in Canada and the northern United States.
- There might also be other subspecies like Graphiphora augur sierrae and Graphiphora augur inopinatus.
Images for kids
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A drawing of the larva (caterpillar) after its last moult.
