Noctuidae : Cuculliinae
Striped Lychnis
CUCULLIA (Shargacucullia) lychnitis Rambur, 1833
Striped Lychnis
CUCULLIA (Shargacucullia) lychnitis Rambur, 1833
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 42-46mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less Ireland,Latvia,Luxembourg,Norway,Portugal,North & North-east Russia & some Mediterranean Islands : Middle East : Iran
UK Distribution: Southern England - Hampshire,Berkshire,Buckinghamshire,Oxfordshire & West Sussex - very local
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Verges : Embankments : Rough Downland
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupation takes place in cocoon underground.
Overwinters as: Pupa (Sometimes 2 years or more)
Observations: Although similar to the Mullein this moth is smaller and lighter in colour. Although this moth can only be separated from the Water Betony by genitalia dissection that moth has only been a visitor to this country about 10 times so it is highly unlikely that the two would be found together.
This moth has its stronghold in Hampshire where it has colonised a site near Winchester. Due to the moths liking for Dark Mullein which grows on roadside verges it has be suggested cutting of such be managed to give full advantage to the earlier stages of this moth.
The moth can be found among flower heads of the host plant during the day.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less Ireland,Latvia,Luxembourg,Norway,Portugal,North & North-east Russia & some Mediterranean Islands : Middle East : Iran
UK Distribution: Southern England - Hampshire,Berkshire,Buckinghamshire,Oxfordshire & West Sussex - very local
UK Conservation Status -
- NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity
- BAP : 2007 - Priority Species
- Nationally Scarce A (Na - BAP : 1980-1993) = 16 - 30 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Cucullia lychnitus Rambur, 1833
- Phalaena umbratica Linnaeus, 1758
- Corsica
Habitat: Verges : Embankments : Rough Downland
Similar Species -
- Mullein - Cucullia verbasci - (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Water Betony - Cucullia scrophulariae - ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Pupa: Pupation takes place in cocoon underground.
Overwinters as: Pupa (Sometimes 2 years or more)
Observations: Although similar to the Mullein this moth is smaller and lighter in colour. Although this moth can only be separated from the Water Betony by genitalia dissection that moth has only been a visitor to this country about 10 times so it is highly unlikely that the two would be found together.
This moth has its stronghold in Hampshire where it has colonised a site near Winchester. Due to the moths liking for Dark Mullein which grows on roadside verges it has be suggested cutting of such be managed to give full advantage to the earlier stages of this moth.
The moth can be found among flower heads of the host plant during the day.
Photo Gallery
Larva
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.
- Scrophulariaceae - Figwort Family
- Verbascum lychnitis - White Mullein
- Verbascum nigrum - Dark Mullein, Black mullein
- Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein, Common mullein
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Subgenus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - CUCULLIA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Cuculliinae CUCULLIA Schrank, 1802 Shargacucullia Ronkay & Ronkay, 1992 Cucullia (Shargacucullia) lychnitis Rambur, 1833 - Phalaena umbratica Linnaeus, 1758 - CUCULLIA lychnitus Rambur, 1833 = Shargacucullia lychnitis Rambur, 1833 = Cucullia rosamaria Kostrowicki, 1956 = Cucullia lycnnitis symaea Koutsaftikis, 1974 = lychnitidis - Annales de la Société entomologique de France : Rambur 1833 - Volume T2 : Title Page : p.17/18 : pl.I - f. 3,c - Corsica |