Euxoa (Pleonectopoda) atomaris Smith 1890

Rarely collected in Alberta, which is at the northern edge of the range.

In Alberta adults have been collected in late July.

North Dakota and southern Alberta and British Columbia south to central New Mexico and Arizona and southern California. In Alberta it has been collected near Calgary (head of Pine Creek).

"A medium-size (3.0-3.4 cm wingspan) moth, varying in color from dark brown through lighter browns to fawn-yellow. Normal lines and spots, including the claviform, weakly developed and defined by a mix of light and dark scales. The antemedian and postmedian lines doubled, with the postmedian line often appearing "beaded". The forewings are characteristically paler in the central and posterior portions than along the costa and outer margins, and often have a coppery or tan cast. The hindwings are white in males with variable extent of smoky brown along the margin, the veins and the discal dot; females similar but usually with darker scaling on the veins. Males can be identified by the following genital characteristics: asymmetrical harpes (left about 3/4 the length of the right) and stout saccular extensions that taper abruptly near the apex. Euxoa atomaris belongs to the subgenus Pleonectopoda, characterized by the prominent twist or subbasal coil in the vesica of the male. There are no characters that can be used to identify females as members of the subgenus. Keys to the subgenus and species are presented in Lafontaine, 1987. "

Dry open areas.

Poorly known. Adults tend to fly late in the season (August and September) in most parts of the range. The larvae are not known.

Unknown. Most related species are general feeders on a range of low-growing broad-leaved plants.

Euxoa atomaris is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Smith in 1890. It is found in North America from North Dakota, southern Alberta and British Columbia, south to central New Mexico, Arizona and southern California.

The wingspan is 30–34 mm. Adults are on wing in July to September.