About Xestia badicollis Grote, 1873
Xestia badicollis is a moth species in the Noctuidae family. It is commonly called the northern variable dart or northern conifer dart, and its larval stage is known as the white pine cutworm. This species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1873. It is found in North America, ranging from Nova Scotia to North Carolina, and west to Missouri and Ontario. It belongs to the elimata species group. Within this group, three species — Xestia praevia, Xestia elimata, and Xestia badicollis — show no significant differences in their genitalia or DNA, which suggests they may actually be a single species. The wingspan of Xestia badicollis measures 32 to 45 mm. Adult moths fly from July to October, with the timing depending on their location. This species has one generation per year. Its larvae feed primarily on eastern white pine, and less frequently on balsam fir, eastern hemlock, eastern larch, white spruce, and other conifers.
