Scarce Blackneck

Eribidae : Toxocampinae

Scarce Blackneck

LYGEPHILA craccae ([Denis & Schiffermüller] ,1775)

Kind permission - © Tim Norriss

Life Cycle Guide - Europe
imago UK - mid July - mid August

Description

Wingspan: 40 - 47mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less ( Channel Isles,Ireland,N Russia,Slovakia,Netherlands and few Mediterranean Islands ) - eastwards to Southern Siberia,China and Japan
UK Distribution: N Cornwall,N Devon and Somerset only
UK Conservation Status -

RedList - GB - Pre94 - (RDB 3 - Rare) < 15 x 10km squares

European Conservation Status -

Least Concern

Original Species Name -

Noctua craccae ([Denis & Schiffermüller] ,1775)

Type Species - Lygephila

Phalaena lusoria Linnaeus, 1758

Type Locality -

Austria - near Vienna

Flight Period: Europe - end May - end July and mid August - end September : Britain - July - August
Habitat: Rocky coasts and sea cliffs
Similar Species -

Blackneck - Lygephila pastinum - (Treitschke, 1826)

Larva: The 37mm final instar larva is light brown with pale edged grey dorsal line and purplish dorsal stripe. Below spiracle line body is dark greyish brown.Faint greyish stripe above small black spiracles.
Pupa: Pupates in coccoon among plant liter or just below soil.
Overwinters as: Ovum
Observations: Appearing in just three small sites in the west country and Somerset this moth is a rare Red Data Book moth living on rocky coast and sea cliff habitats.
Although similar to the Blackneck this moth has four dots along costa and reniform stigmata which only has black markings on basal side and no showing of an orbicular spot, which appears as small black dot on the similar species.
The moth has a distinctive blackish brown head.

The moth is attracted to light and 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.

Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Eupatorium cannabinum - Hemp Agrimony
- Solidago virgaurea - Goldenrod ( Flowers & Seeds)
Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Astragalus glycyphyllos - Milk Vetch - Wild Liquorice
- Coronilla varia - Crown Vetch
- Lathyrus linifolius montanus - Bitter Vetch - Heath Pea
- Lathyrus pratensis - Meadow Vetchling - Meadow Pea - Meadow Pea-vine
- Vicia cracca - Tufted Vetch
- Vicia sepium - Bush Vetch
- Vicia sylvatica - Wood Vetch
Lamiaceae - Labiatae - The Mint Family
- Teucrium scorodonia - Wood Sage
Valerianaceae - Valerian Family
- Centranthus ruber - Red Valerian

Larval Food Plants

Taxonomy

Kingdom:
Subkingdom:
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Accepted Species Name:

Type Species LYGEPHILA:

Original Species Name:
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Literary Ref:

Type Locality:

Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Erebidae
Toxocampinae
LYGEPHILA Billberg, 1820
Lygephila craccae ([Denis & Schiffermüller] ,1775)
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Phalaena lusoria Linnaeus, 1758
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NOCTUA craccae ([Denis & Schiffermüller] ,1775)
= Lygephila herrerai Yela, 1990
= Noctua craccae Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775
= Phalaena nigricollis Villiers, 1789
= Ophiusa craccae lutosa Warren, 1913
= Toxocampa craccae caliginosa Schawerda, 1931
= Lygephila (Lygephila) craccae
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Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend: : Title Page : p.94 - n.3
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Austria-near Vienna