71.011 : 2015 : 8722
Notondontidae : Notondontinae

Lunar Marbled Brown

DRYMONIA ruficornis (Hufnagel, 1766)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 35 - 40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe(Spain and Portugal to British Isles, to Scandinavia,Italy and The Balkans) to Armenia : Middle East : North Africa
UK Distribution: England to midlands and southern Wales - Well distributed : England from midlands to mainland Scotland - local : Ireland - widespread
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name:
  • Bombyx ruficornis (Hufnagel, 1766)
Type Species - Drymonia
  • Bombyx dodonaea ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
Type Locality -
  • 'An den Blättern der Eichen' -'at the leaves of the Oaks'
Flight Period: South - end March to mid June : Elsewhere - April to May
Habitat: Oak woodlands : Forests
Similar Species -
  • Marbled Brown Drymonia dodonaea ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Larva: The final instar larva is mid-green with four yellow lateral lines equidistant from spiracles line on one side to other and has a series of fine black dots on the top of the larva which can be diminished on some larva.
Pupa: Pupates just below ground near food plant roots.
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This grey and white moth has a clearly defined crescent shaped discal spots adjacent to the costa on the median area just above a broad white cross line or alternatively white bands.
The basal area varies between dark and light grey and the median area is clearly defined by antemedian and postmedian grey wavy cross lines.

The similar species Marbled Brown Drymonia dodonaea is lacking the crescent shaped discal spots with less distinct cross lines and is not on the wing until late may.

The moth is attracted to light and can be found at the moth trap in low numbers.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
  • Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom:
Phylum:
Subphylum:
Class:
Order:
Superfamily:
Family:
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Genus:
Accepted Species Name:

Type Species - DRYMONIA:

Original Species Name:
Species Names:







Literary Ref:

Type Locality:

Forms:



Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Notondontidae
Notondontinae
Notodontini
DRYMONIA Hübner 1819
Drymonia ruficornis (Hufnagel, 1766)
-
Bombyx dodonaea ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
-
BOMBYX ruficornis (Hufnagel, 1766)
= Bombyx confusa Hufnagel, 1767
= Bombyx chaonia (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
= Noctua roboris Fabricius, 1777
= Drymonia ruficornis grisea Turati, 1907
= Drymonia ruficornis vivida Zerny, 1927
= Drymonia ruficornis moghrebana Lucas, 1933
= Drymonia centralariae Gómez Bustillo, 1977
-
Berlin. Magazin. 2 (4) : Title Page : p.424 n.XL111
-
'An den Blättern der Eichen' -'at the leaves of the Oaks'
-
D.r.f.lunula Grünberg, 1912 - black discal half moon in media area stands out suffused with whitish tone
D.r.f.grisea Turati, 1907 - forewings suffused almost entirely in grey
-
D.r.ruficornis (Hufnagel, 1766) - nominate subspecies
D.r.vivida Zerny, 1927 - Southern Spain & Morocco - dark markings accentuated
D.r.anadolua de Freina 1983