Noctuidae : Psaphidinae
Early Grey
XYLOCAMPA areola (Esper,1789)
Early Grey
XYLOCAMPA areola (Esper,1789)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 32-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Southern Europe : Central Europe
UK Distribution: Well distributed and common throughout Britain but especially in the south.Western,Northern and central Scotland-local.Channel Isles-Widespread and common
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Broadleaved woodland : Suburban Gardens : Hedgerows : Scrub
Similar Species -
Larva: The light brown larva has a series of yellowish lateral lines in varying widths.The caterpillar is widest at the centre when viewed from the side and tapers radially from head to the rear.There is and indentifying brown spot at the eighth abdominal segment when vied from above.
The larva feeds nocturnally and rests during the day on the stem of Honeysuckle.Can be found between April-June
Pupa: The pupa overwinters underground in a cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The moth is well named, clearly indicating both when the moth can be expected to be seen in the year and also the background colour of the moth.
The ash grey ground colour has marbling in blackish grey,is sometimes dark grey with other individuals having a delicate pinkish flush.
The pale orbicular and reniform stigmata marks are surrounded by a feint white line and are joined at the lower edges.
The subterminal line has a series of intermittent black markings.
The two similar species shown above are only representative of a similar appearance as they both appear later in the year.
The Early Grey X. areola is attracted to the light trap but is considered to rarely feed at sugar. Like other early noctuids the moth is also known to feed on sallow catkins.
Worldwide Distribution: Southern Europe : Central Europe
UK Distribution: Well distributed and common throughout Britain but especially in the south.Western,Northern and central Scotland-local.Channel Isles-Widespread and common
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (noctua) areola (Esper,1789)
- Phalaena lithoriza Baukhausen, 1792
- Maiz [Germany]
Habitat: Broadleaved woodland : Suburban Gardens : Hedgerows : Scrub
Similar Species -
- The Shears Hada plebeja Hufnagel, 1766
- Glaucous Shears Papestra biren Goeze, 1781
Larva: The light brown larva has a series of yellowish lateral lines in varying widths.The caterpillar is widest at the centre when viewed from the side and tapers radially from head to the rear.There is and indentifying brown spot at the eighth abdominal segment when vied from above.
The larva feeds nocturnally and rests during the day on the stem of Honeysuckle.Can be found between April-June
Pupa: The pupa overwinters underground in a cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The moth is well named, clearly indicating both when the moth can be expected to be seen in the year and also the background colour of the moth.
The ash grey ground colour has marbling in blackish grey,is sometimes dark grey with other individuals having a delicate pinkish flush.
The pale orbicular and reniform stigmata marks are surrounded by a feint white line and are joined at the lower edges.
The subterminal line has a series of intermittent black markings.
The two similar species shown above are only representative of a similar appearance as they both appear later in the year.
The Early Grey X. areola is attracted to the light trap but is considered to rarely feed at sugar. Like other early noctuids the moth is also known to feed on sallow catkins.
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.
- Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family
- Lonicera involucrata syn xylosteum - Twinberry-Dwarf
- Lonicera periclymenum - Wild Honeysuckle
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - XYLOCAMPA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Psaphidinae XYLOCAMPA Guenee, 1837 Xylocampa areola (Esper, 1789) - Phalaena lithoriza Baukhausen, 1792 - PHALAENA areola (Esper, 1789) = Phalaena (Noctua) areola Esper, 1789 = Phalaena lithoriza Borkhausen, 1792 = Noctua operosa Hübner, [1808] = Xylocampa areola modesta Warnecke, 1922 = Xylocampa areola srira Rungs, 1957 = lithorhiza. - Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur : Title Page : p.448- 449 : Vol Plates 4 - Tab CXL1 - f.4 - Maiz [Germany] |