Lunar underwing

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Lunar underwing
Omphaloscelis lunosa01.jpg
Omphaloscelis lunosa 02.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Genus: Omphaloscelis
Species:
O. lunosa
Binomial name
Omphaloscelis lunosa
(Haworth, 1809)

The lunar underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1809. It has a scattered distribution in western Europe including Spain, Scandinavia and Algeria.

Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 5

This is a variable species, the forewings ranging from pale buff to dark brown although the paler forms are generally more common. The forewings are usually marked with two dark stigmata and a black streak near the apex. The hindwings are whitish marked with a dark moon-shaped crescent on the hindwing is partially diagnostic and which gives the moth its English name.

Description[]

The wingspan is 32–38 mm. Forewing varying from pale greyish ochreous to rufous and dark purple brown, the veins generally pale; upper stigmata distinct and filled up with dark, with distinct pale outlines; inner and outer lines double with paler centres, the inner obliquely curved out, the outer simply sinuous; submarginal line pale, preceded by a row of dark spots, and on costa by a black blotch or bar; hindwing whitish, suffused with grey, especially in the female, with large grey cell spot and interrupted submarginal band. The type form is dull red without pale veins; the red forms with pale veins are ab. rufa Tutt;the palest form of all is obsoleta Tutt without pale nervures; a somewhat darker, more brownish form, with the veins pale is humilis H. & Wwd.; brunnea Tutt has the ground colour deep red-brown with pale veins; in subjecta Dup. it is dark grey brown, the extreme development of which, agrotoides Guen., is blackish grey; — olivacea Vasq., from Spain, has the forewing pale olive ochreous, and rubra Vasq., also from Spain, has it pale reddish ochreous. .[1] The larva is light brownish with dark warts, each with a short brush.

Biology[]

This moth flies at night from August to October [1] and is attracted to light and flowers.

Omphaloscelis lunosa, Lunar Underwing, North Wales, April 2008 - Flickr - janetgraham84.jpg
Habitat in Germany

The habitat is grasslands, damp pastures, downland and parks and gardens. The larva feeds on all parts of various grasses, overwintering in this form.

  1. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References[]

  1. ^ Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde, Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914
  • Chinery, Michael (1991). Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe.
  • Skinner, Bernard (1984). The Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles.

External links[]

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