The Wheat Head Armyworm (Dargida diffusa) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in most of North America, except Yukon and Alaska.

Dargida diffusa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Dargida
Species:
D. diffusa
Binomial name
Dargida diffusa
(Walker, 1856)
Synonyms
  • Faronta diffusa
  • Leucania diffusa
  • Leucania moderata
  • Leucania harveyi
Caterpillar

The wingspan is 27–36 mm. Adults are on wing from May to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on seed heads of cereal crops and grasses, especially Phleum pratense.

Subspecies

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  • Dargida diffusa obscurior (Smith, 1902)
  • Dargida diffusa limitata (Smith, 1902)
  • Dargida diffusa neptis (Smith, 1902)
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