Erebidae : Boletobiinae
Small Purple-barred
PHYTOMETRA viridaria (Clerck, 1759)
Small Purple-barred
PHYTOMETRA viridaria (Clerck, 1759)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 19 - 20mm
Worldwide Distribution: Central & Southern Europe : Mauritania : Morocco : Algeria : Tunisa : Armenia : Iraq : Iran : Afghanistan : Pakistan : S.Siberia
UK Distribution: Central sounthern & south-east England, Wales and Ireland - Fairly well distributed but low numbers : Rest of England and Isle of Man & Inner Hebrides - local : Channel Isles - Local and rare
UK Conservation Status -
- Local = 101 - 300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena viridaria (Clerck, 1759)
- Noctua aenea ([Denis & Schiffermuller], 1775)
- Not given in original publication
Habitat: Heathland : Calcareous grasslands : Moorland : Woodland rides : Coastal sand dunes
Similar Species -
- Pyrausta despicata (Scopoli, 1763)
Pupa: Overwinters in a tough cocoon formed among plant debris
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This pretty little moth is unmistakeable with the two purplish cross lines showing up against the dull olive-brown forewing.
There is a purplish costal band that extends from the median cross line around the wing and just behind the head.
The moth is a day flyer where it can be found flying low in short heather situated near grassland where Heath Milkwort can be found.
It is quite an early moth found from April onwards where in southern England it possibly has two broods from April to June and late June to August but usually only found in small numbers.
Although diurnal this moth is known to fly at night and is attracted to light.
Photo Gallery
Typical Habitat
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.
- Polygalaceae - Milkwort Family
- Polygala serpyllifolia - Heath Milkwort
- Polygala vulgaris - Common Milkwort
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - PHYTOMETRA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Erebidae Boletobiinae PHYTOMETRA Haworth, 1809 Phytometra viridaria (Clerck, 1759) - Noctua aenea ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - PHALAENA viridaria (Clerck, 1759) = Phalaena purpurata Linnaeus, 1761 = Phalaena laccata Scopoli, 1763 = Phalaena lanceata Scopoli, 1763 = Noctua aenea Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 = Noctua olivacea Vieweg, 1790 = Phytometra latruncula Esper, [1791] = Phytometra suffusa Tutt, 1892 = Phytometra fusca Tutt, 1892 = Phytometra purpurina Vorbrodt, 1917 = Phytometra hoffmanni Staudinger, 1924 = Phytometra faecata Staudinger, 1924 = Phytometra lunghali Nordström, 1933 = Phytometra lutargina Schawerda & Stättermayer, 1934 = Phytometra semipurpurea Kiefer, 1941 = Phytometra reducta Lempke, 1949 - Icones insectorum rariorum cum nomibus eorum trivialibus, locique e C. Linnæi. - pp. [1-10], Tab. 1-16. Holmiæ : Title Page : pl.9, Fig.12 - Not given in original publication |