73.064 : 2299 : 9311
Noctuidae : Amphipyrinae

Mouse Moth

AMPHIPYRA (Amphipyra) tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 32-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - ( excluding - Azores,Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Crete,Madeira & N Russia) : North Africa : Near East : Iran : North India : West Siberia and North America : Holarctic Distribution  
UK Distribution: England,Wales,lowland Scotland,Isle of Man,Ireland - Well distributed and frequent throughout : Channel Isles - local and occasional
UK Conservation Status -
  • BAP : 2007 - Priority Species 
  • NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) & NERC S.42 : 2009 (Wales) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity"
  • Northern Ireland : 2010 - Priority Species
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
Type Species - Amphipyra
  • Phalaena tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
Type Locality -
  • Not stated in original publication
Flight Period: South - June - October - Univoltine : Elsewhere - July - September - univoltine
Habitat: Gardens : Fens : Woodland : Moorland : Sand-dunes
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The 37mm final instar larva is green with clearly marked white dorsal,subdorsal and spiracular lines. Head is also green
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon just below the soil or among plant debris
Overwinters as: Ovum
Observations: The moth lives up to its vernacular name both by the colour of the wings which are dull and mouse-like and from the habit the moth has of running for cover when disturbed.
When fresh the wings are shiny and plain with only markings being small dark orbicular spot and stigmata which are represented small spots.

Moth is attracted to light,sugar and flowers although mostly recorded at sugar.
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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - AMPHIPYRA:

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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Amphipyrinae
AMPHIPYRA Ochsenheimer 1816
Amphipyra Ochsenheimer 1816
Amphipyra (Amphipyra) tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
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Phalaena tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
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PHALAENA tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
= Phalaena luciola (Hufnagel, 1766)
= Amphipyra repressus (Grote, 1871)
= tetra Fabricius, 1787
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Icones insectorum rariorum cum nomibus eorum trivialibus, locique e C. Linnæi. - pp. [1-10], Tab. 1-16. Holmiæ: Title Page :  pl.1 - fig.5
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Not stated in original publication
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A. t. turcomana Staudinger, 1888