Noctuidae : Acronictinae
Scarce Merveille du Jour
MOMA alpium (Osbeck, 1778)
Scarce Merveille du Jour
MOMA alpium (Osbeck, 1778)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 34 - 40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less ( Greece,Ireland,Norway,N Russia and all Mediterranean Islands) : Palearctic Ecozone
UK Distribution: Restricted to Hampshire - New Forest,Isle of Wight,west Sussex & Kentish Weald
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Mature Oak Woodlands : Scrubby Oak
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates in strong cocoon on the ground among leaf litter
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is very distinctive and is the only noctuid flying in the summer that is pale green,black and white . The black bars on the forewing are more prominent with the basal line and at intervals along the costa.
Although similar to its cousin the Merveille du Jour it does not fly within this moths flight period, flying in September to October.
The moth is attracted to light and sugar and is known to feed on aphid honeydew at night.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less ( Greece,Ireland,Norway,N Russia and all Mediterranean Islands) : Palearctic Ecozone
UK Distribution: Restricted to Hampshire - New Forest,Isle of Wight,west Sussex & Kentish Weald
UK Conservation Status -
- RDB 3 ( 1980/93 ) =<15 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Noctua) alpium (Osbeck, 1778)
- Noctua aprilina Linnaeus, sensu Hübner, 1803
- Sweden - Hasslöf
Habitat: Mature Oak Woodlands : Scrubby Oak
Similar Species -
- Merveille du Jour - Griposia aprilina - (Linnaeus, 1758)
Pupa: Pupates in strong cocoon on the ground among leaf litter
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is very distinctive and is the only noctuid flying in the summer that is pale green,black and white . The black bars on the forewing are more prominent with the basal line and at intervals along the costa.
Although similar to its cousin the Merveille du Jour it does not fly within this moths flight period, flying in September to October.
The moth is attracted to light and sugar and is known to feed on aphid honeydew at night.
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.
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.
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Betula pubescens - Downy Birch
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Carpinus betulus - Hornbeam
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Castanea crenata - Japanese Chestnut
- Fagus sylvatica - Beech
- Quercus acutissima - Sawthorn Oak
- Quercus cerris - Turkey Oak
- Quercus mongolica - Mongolian Oak
- Quercus petraea - Sessile Oak
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak : Common Oak
- Quercus serrata - Korean Oak
- Quercus variabilis - Chinese Cork Oak
- Hippocastanaceae - The Horse Chestnuts
- Aesculus hippocastanum - Horse Chestnut
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Prunus avium - Wild Cherry
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash/Rowan
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus nigra - Black Poplar/Lombardy Poplar
- Populus nigra - Black Poplar/Lombardy Poplar
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - MOMA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Acronictinae MOMA Hübner, [1820] Moma alpium (Osbeck, 1778) - Noctua aprilina Linnaeus, sensu Hübner, 1803 - PHALAENA (Noctua) alpium (Osbeck, 1778) = Phalaena (Noctua) orion Esper, 1791 - Göthborgska Wetenskaps och Witterhets Samhället, p.1: 52, pl.1 - f. 2 - Sweden - Hasslöf |