Insect · GBIF taxon 1785732
Master's Dart
Feltia herilisAlso known as Herald Dart
Master's dart is a stout-bodied owlet moth sporting intricately patterned forewings in contrasting charcoal, tan, and pale cream that offer seamless camouflage against dead leaves or rough tree bark. Adults fly predominantly during late summer and early autumn, frequently visiting night-blooming flowers and porch lights across temperate landscapes. The subterranean larvae, widely known among cutworms, spend winter sheltered in the soil before emerging to feed on the base of broadleaf weeds and young crops in spring.
NocturnalMothPollinator
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flower nectar
- Clover leaves
- Plant sap
Predators
- Little Brown Bat
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Orb-weaver spiders
ThreatsArtificial night lighting, broad-spectrum pesticide use, and intense soil tilling.
HabitatsMeadows, grasslands, agricultural fields, woodland edges, and suburban gardens.
Life spanAdults live 2–4 weeks; full annual cycle spans roughly one year.
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNoctuidae
- GenusFeltia
- SpeciesFeltia herilis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Night Lights: Attract adults after dusk by setting up a white sheet near a blacklight or porch fixture.
- Seasonal Timing: Search grassy meadows and garden borders from late July through September for peak flights.
- Gentle Viewing: Use a dim red headlamp to examine wing details without triggering evasive drops to the ground.
Predator "Little brown bat affected by White-nose Syndrome" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
Host Plant "Red Clover" by randihausken is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Ian Manning, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Sawyer Hess, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Species set
Moonlight Marvels
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