Bug FAQDull Reddish Dart
Xestia dilucida · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Young's Blueberry Dart, reddish blueberry dart
The dull reddish dart is a moth in the Noctuidae family with a wingspan of about 36 mm. Adults fly from September through November, there is one generation each year, and the larvae feed on Vaccinium species.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures roughly 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars have been recorded feeding on Vaccinium species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from September to November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes the eastern United States, from Maine down to Florida and west to Ohio and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 24 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Connecticut, Alabama, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult dull reddish darts active?
Adults fly from September through November.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It produces one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xestia_dilucida
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.