Bug FAQVancouver Dart
Agrotis vancouverensis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Vancouver Dart Moth
The Vancouver dart is a moth in the Noctuidae family that lives in the Pacific Northwest, especially west of the Cascades. Adults appear in late spring and early summer, have one generation each year, and the forewings measure about 33 mm long. Its larvae feed on a variety of herbs.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Agrotis vancouverensis, known as the Vancouver dart, belongs to the moth family Noctuidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewing length is roughly 33 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is common in the Pacific Northwest of North America, especially west of the Cascade Mountains.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat various herb plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is a single generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing in late spring and early summer.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range is the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Oregon, Montana, Washington, California, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico.
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 can I expect to see adult Vancouver darts?
Adults are active in late spring and early summer.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae of Vancouver darts eat?
The caterpillars feed on a range of herbaceous plants.
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/Agrotis_vancouverensis
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.