page_title: Xestia
section_title: Subgenus Megasema
hierarchical_section_title: Xestia / Species / Subgenus Megasema
caption_attribution_description: [Agrotis] deraiota Hmpsn. = Xestia c-nigrum deraiota (Hampson, 1902), ♂, Ceylon.
context_page_description: Xestia is a genus of noctuid moths. They are the type genus of the tribe Xestiini in subfamily Noctuinae, though some authors merge this tribe with the Noctuini. Species in this genus are commonly known as "clays", "darts" or "rustics", but such names are commonplace among Noctuidae. Xestia moths have a wide distribution, though they most prominently occur in the Holarctic.
  With almost 200 species included at one time, Xestia was something of a "wastebin genus". But almost half of the traditional species are now placed elsewhere, and some of the remaining ones are liable to be assigned to another genus also. On the other hand, new moths that probably do belong in this genus are still being discovered. Thus, unless there are drastic taxonomic changes in the future, Xestia is likely to remain one of the larger noctuine genera.
context_section_description: ashworthii/"Ashworthia" group
  Xestia ashworthii – Ashworth's rustic (type of Ashworthia)
  Xestia okakensis Packard, 1867
  Xestia okakensis okakensis Packard, 1867
  Xestia okakensis morandi (Benjamin, 1934) (sometimes considered distinct species)
  Xestia scropulana Morrison, 1874 (formerly in X. wockei)
  Xestia wockei
  kollari group
  Xestia kollari
   
  c-nigrum group
  Xestia c-nigrum – setaceous Hebrew character, "spotted cutworm" (type of Cenigria)
  Xestia ditrapezium – triple-spotted clay
  Xestia dolosa – greater black-letter dart, woodland spotted cutworm, "spotted cutworm"
  Xestia praetermissa Warren (possibly belongs in X. c-nigrum)
  Xestia triangulum – double square-spot (type of Megasema)
  Species group unknown
  Xestia inuitica Lafontaine & Hensel, 1998
caption: X. (Megasema) c-nigrum deraiota, adult male
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