Erebidae : Erebinae
Lunar Double-stripe
MINUCIA lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775)
Lunar Double-stripe
MINUCIA lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775)
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 55 - 62mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less Estonia,Finland,Ireland,Latvia,Lithuania,Norway,E,N & NW Russia and some Mediterranean Islands : Asia Minor : Kazakhstan : N Africa
UK Distribution: Rare immigrant from C,S Europe usually found on SE England coast
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Young Oak coppice
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon among soil and leaf litter
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is a rare immigrant from southern Europe usually appearing along the coast in South-east England,the specimen below being seen in the Pennington marshes near Keyhaven and Milford on Sea. There is no evidence of breeding in the UK.
Diagnosted marks for this moth are the antemedian and postmedian cross lines which are white and highlighted by darker brown. The reniform stigmata is very prominent being dark and crescent shaped. The subterminal line is thinner white and wavy again highlighted with dark brown.
The forewing can be in variable shades of brown to grey with darker brown shading terminally.
The moth is attracted to light and sugar.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less Estonia,Finland,Ireland,Latvia,Lithuania,Norway,E,N & NW Russia and some Mediterranean Islands : Asia Minor : Kazakhstan : N Africa
UK Distribution: Rare immigrant from C,S Europe usually found on SE England coast
UK Conservation Status -
- Migrant
- Least Concern
- Noctua lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775)
- Noctua lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775)
- Austria - near Vienna
Habitat: Young Oak coppice
Similar Species -
- None
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon among soil and leaf litter
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is a rare immigrant from southern Europe usually appearing along the coast in South-east England,the specimen below being seen in the Pennington marshes near Keyhaven and Milford on Sea. There is no evidence of breeding in the UK.
Diagnosted marks for this moth are the antemedian and postmedian cross lines which are white and highlighted by darker brown. The reniform stigmata is very prominent being dark and crescent shaped. The subterminal line is thinner white and wavy again highlighted with dark brown.
The forewing can be in variable shades of brown to grey with darker brown shading terminally.
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.
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.
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus petraea - Sessile Oak
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Quercus petraea - Sessile Oak
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - MINUCIA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Erebidae Erebinae Ophiusini MINUCIA Moore,[1885] Minucia lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775) - Noctua lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775) - NOCTUA lunaris ([Denis & Schiffermüeller], 1775) = inconspicua Warren, 1913 - Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.94 - n.1 - Austria - near Vienna |