Noctuidae : Amphipyrinae
Mouse Moth
AMPHIPYRA (Amphipyra) tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
Mouse Moth
AMPHIPYRA (Amphipyra) tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
Life Cycle Guide
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 -
Habitat: Gardens : Fens : Woodland : Moorland : Sand-dunes
Similar Species -
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.
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
- Least Concern
- Phalaena tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
- Phalaena tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)
- Not stated in original publication
Habitat: Gardens : Fens : Woodland : Moorland : Sand-dunes
Similar Species -
- None
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.
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.
- Apiaceae - Umbelliferae - Umbellifer Family
- Anthriscus sylvestris - Cow Parsley
- Foeniculum vulgare - Fennel - Sweet Fennel
- Ligusticum scoticum - Scottish Lovage
- Petroselinum crispum - Parsley
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Artemisia vulgaris - Mugwort
- Sarratula tinctoria - Saw-Wort
- Apocynaceae - Dogbane Family
- Apocynum androsaemifolium - Spreading Dogbane
- Campanulaceae - Bellflower Family
- Campanula glomerata - Clustered Bellflower
- Campanula persicifolia - Peachleaf Bellflower,Harebell
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Cercis canadensis - Redbud, Eastern redbud
- Grossulariaceae - Currant Family
- Ribes rubrum - Redcurrant
- Onagraceae - Evening Primrose Family
- Epilobium angustifolium - Rosebay Willow-herb
- Orabanchaceae - Broomrape Family
- Melampyrum pratense - Common Cow-Wheat - Parasitic Plant
- Plantaginaceae - Plantain Family
- Plantago major - Common Plantain
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Rumex acetosa - Common Sorrel - Spinach Dock - Narrow-leaved Dock
- Rumex longifolius - Dooryard Dock
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Aconitum napellus - Aconite
- Ranunculus acris - Meadow Buttercup
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Crataegus monogyna - Hawthorn
- Fragaria x ananassa - Strawberry
- Prunus americana - American Plum
- Rubus chamaemorus - Cloudberry
- Sanguisorba minor - Salad Burnet
- Rubiaceae - Bedstraw Family
- Galium mullugo - Hedge Bedstraw
- Galium verum - Lady's Bedstraw
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix alba - White Willow
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Scrophulariaceae - Figwort Family
- Linaria vulgaris - Yellow Toadflax
- Mimulus guttatus - Yellow Monkey Flower
- Urticaeae - Nettle Family
- Urtica dioica - Stinging Nettle - Common Nettle
- Urtica dioica - Stinging Nettle - Common Nettle
- Vitaceae - Grapevine - Virginia Creeper Family
- Vitis vinifera - Grape
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Geraniaceae - Geranium
- Ranunculaceae - Aquilegia
- Rosaceae - Fragaria - Strawberry
- Solanaceae - Nicotiana - Tobacco
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Vitis vinifera - Grape
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Subgenus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - AMPHIPYRA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Amphipyrinae AMPHIPYRA Ochsenheimer 1816 Amphipyra Ochsenheimer 1816 Amphipyra (Amphipyra) tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759) - Phalaena tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759) - PHALAENA tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759) = Phalaena luciola (Hufnagel, 1766) = Amphipyra repressus (Grote, 1871) = tetra Fabricius, 1787 - Icones insectorum rariorum cum nomibus eorum trivialibus, locique e C. Linnæi. - pp. [1-10], Tab. 1-16. Holmiæ: Title Page : pl.1 - fig.5 - Not stated in original publication - A. t. turcomana Staudinger, 1888 |