Phalaris arundinacea
The brown Arctic has five larval instars, beginning with the pinkish brown first instar displaying darker magenta longitudinal lines and paired thin pink protrusions on its posterior. The larvae becomes darker as it matures, and the final larval instar has a bifurcated head and ranges in color from pink to light brown, with a black dorsal and dorsolateral stripe, short paired protrusions on its posterior, and small erratic setae over its entire body and head. The larvae feed on grasses, including Festuca idahoensis in Washington, Carex in Colorado, and Danthonia spicata, Oryzopsis pungens, and Phalaris arundinacea in eastern Canada. They remain in the larval stage for about two years, hibernating as the first or second larval instar during the first winter, and as the third, fourth, or fifth instar during the second winter.