16. Euxoa scholastica McDunnough

(Fig. 19, Map 12)

Identification: Forewing length 15.0–18.0 mm. Forewing ground color is brown with a dark brown pattern. Orbicular and reniform spots are light brown outlined with black. Hindwing is dark brown. This species is easily confused with E. messoria, but can be distinguished by the small round orbicular spot versus the large oval orbicular spot in E. messoria. The overall appearance of the forewing in E. scholastica is more heavily marked with more lines and spots; and the hindwing is dark in E. scholastica and pale gray to white with a distinct marginal band in E. messoria.

Flight period: Collected from mid­July to August.

Collected Localities: North Carolina: Haywood Co., Purchase Knob. Tennessee: Cocke Co., Foothills Parkway East. (2 specimens)

Elevation range: 2400 and 4924 ft. (732 and 1501 m)

General distribution: Another wide ranging species from Newfoundland west to Yukon and south to GSMNP and west to Missouri in the East and southern New Mexico, Arizona, and California in the West.

Larval hosts: Unknown (Lafontaine 1987).

MAP 12. Collecting localities of Euxoa scholastica.