Noctuidae : Bryophilinae
Marbled Beauty
BRYOPHILA (Bryophila) domestica (Hufnagel, 1766)
Marbled Beauty
BRYOPHILA (Bryophila) domestica (Hufnagel, 1766)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 20-25mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distridution: Resident : Common-Southern Britain,north to Southern Scotland : Local in East Scotland : Widespread throughout Isle of Man : East Ireland-widespread : Channel Isles-widespread.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Urban areas : Coastal cliffs : Typical habitat is where they are camouflaged against the lichen that is the larval food plant,like walls,gravestone,Rocks etc.
Similar Species -
Overwinters as: Small larva amongst larval foodplants
Observations: This pretty little moth that varies in size is well "marbled" to camouflage itself during the day against the larval food plant it rests on which is lichenised fungi.
A defining identification between this moth and the similar species Marbled Green N.muralis is that the cross-line before the kidney mark traverses across the forewing from costa to dorsum,whereas in the Marbled Green this is only partial.
The forewing costa is also curved and rounded at the apex and the termen is strongly curved towards the tornus.
The background forewing colour is white/greyish white with superb pastel green marbling which can be variable in its intensity between light and dark.
This moth is attracted to light and sugar and can be found imbibing on flowers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distridution: Resident : Common-Southern Britain,north to Southern Scotland : Local in East Scotland : Widespread throughout Isle of Man : East Ireland-widespread : Channel Isles-widespread.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena domestica (Hufnagel, 1766)
- Noctua perla ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
- Germany-Berlin
Habitat: Urban areas : Coastal cliffs : Typical habitat is where they are camouflaged against the lichen that is the larval food plant,like walls,gravestone,Rocks etc.
Similar Species -
- Marbled Green Nyctobrya muralis (Forster, 1771)
Overwinters as: Small larva amongst larval foodplants
Observations: This pretty little moth that varies in size is well "marbled" to camouflage itself during the day against the larval food plant it rests on which is lichenised fungi.
A defining identification between this moth and the similar species Marbled Green N.muralis is that the cross-line before the kidney mark traverses across the forewing from costa to dorsum,whereas in the Marbled Green this is only partial.
The forewing costa is also curved and rounded at the apex and the termen is strongly curved towards the tornus.
The background forewing colour is white/greyish white with superb pastel green marbling which can be variable in its intensity between light and dark.
This moth is attracted to light and sugar and can be found imbibing on flowers.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants
The Marbled Beauty larva feed on lichens,typically of the genus Lecidea
The Marbled Beauty larva feed on lichens,typically of the genus Lecidea
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Subgenus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - BRYOPHILA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Bryophilinae BRYOPHILA Treitschke 1825 Bryophila Treitschke 1825 Bryophila (Bryophila) domestica (Hufnagel, 1766) - Noctua perla ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775) - PHALAENA domestica (Hufnagel, 1766) = Cryphia domestica (Hufnagel, 1766) = Noctua perla Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 = Bryophila perla aetnaea Schwingenschuss, 1942. - Berlin. Magazin. 3 (4) : Title Page : p.406 - n.83 - Germany-Berlin |