Noctuidae : Xyleninae
Guernsey Underwing
POLYPHAENIS sericata (Esper,1787)
Guernsey Underwing
POLYPHAENIS sericata (Esper,1787)
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 40 - 46mm
Worldwide Distribution: Central & Southern Europe- less (Belgium,Great Britain,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,Ireland,Latvis,Lithuania, Luxembourg,Norway,E,N & NW Russia,Sweden,Netherlands and most Mediterranean Islands
UK Distribution: Channel Islands Only
UK Conservation Status -
Flight Period: June - mid August
Habitat: Sheltered Coastal Valleys
Similar Species -
Observations: Moth was first discovered in 20th century but has never been recorded in this country only appearing on the Channel Islands and southern and central Europe where its mottled green forewing and orange underwing make is unique among noctuids and as such, unmistakeable. The extent of the whitish cross lines and black markings on forewings tend to vary.
The moth first discovered in Guernsey in 1870's and then in Jersey not until 1989 where it is now locally frequent on both islands.
Worldwide Distribution: Central & Southern Europe- less (Belgium,Great Britain,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,Ireland,Latvis,Lithuania, Luxembourg,Norway,E,N & NW Russia,Sweden,Netherlands and most Mediterranean Islands
UK Distribution: Channel Islands Only
UK Conservation Status -
- Channel Islands Only
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Noctua) sericata Esper, 1787
- Noctua sericata Esper, 1787
Flight Period: June - mid August
Habitat: Sheltered Coastal Valleys
Similar Species -
- None
Observations: Moth was first discovered in 20th century but has never been recorded in this country only appearing on the Channel Islands and southern and central Europe where its mottled green forewing and orange underwing make is unique among noctuids and as such, unmistakeable. The extent of the whitish cross lines and black markings on forewings tend to vary.
The moth first discovered in Guernsey in 1870's and then in Jersey not until 1989 where it is now locally frequent on both islands.
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.
- Cornaceae - Dogwood Family
- Cornus sanguinea - Dogwood
- Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family
- Lonicera periclymenum - Wild Honeysuckle
- Oleceae - Mesophytic Shrubs - Trees - Vines
- Ligustrum vulgare - Common Privet - European Prive
- Syringa vulgaris - Lilac
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe(Britain)
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe(Britain)
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - POLYPHAENIS: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Xyleninae Dypterygiini POLYPHAENIS Boisduval, 1840 Polyphaenis sericata (Esper,1787) - Noctua sericata Esper, 1787 - PHALAENA (Noctua) sericata Esper, 1787 = Noctua (Noctua) sericina Esper, 1790 = Phalaena (Noctua) viridis Esper, 1790 = Noctua prospicua Hübner, [1803] - Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen Th. IV, Bd. 1 (33) : pl. 108 - f. 4, - Florence - P. s. albibasis Warren, 1911 - Spain |
