73.123 : 2361 : 9834
Noctuidae : Xyleninae

Rosy Rustic

HYDRAECIA micacea (Esper, 1789)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 34-50mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe,eastwards to Siberia
UK Distribution: Well distributed throughout British Isles
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
  • NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) & NERC S.42 : 2009 (Wales) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity
  • Northern Ireland - Priority Species : 2010
  • BAP : 2007 - Priority Species
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena micacea (Esper, 1789)
Type Species - Hydraecia
  • Phalaena micacea (Esper, 1789)
Type Locality -
  • Austria - Tirol
Flight Period: South - July to October : Elsewhere - August to October
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Fens : Hedgerows
Similar Species -
  • None - unmistakeable
Larva: The 35mm final instar larva is light chocolate brown with about 6-8 black spots around each abdominal segment and appears somewhat translucent
Pupa: Pupates underground
Overwinters as: Ovum
Observations: The moth is fairly easily recognised although colouration,markings and size of moth tend to flucuate. The darker moths tend to be found in the north of the country.
The normal background colour is light brown as shown in the specimens below  although it varies ,with the extreme being dark brown,with the median area being a shade darker. The outer cross line is straight until just before the costa when it sharply bends.
The stigmata and orbicular spot are the background colour but highlighted with a darker brown edge.
Other markings on the moth are akin to the silken threads in a spiders web.

The moth is attracted to light and also sometimes to flowers or 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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - HYDRAECIA:

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Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Xyleninae
Apameini
HYDRAECIA Guenée 1841
Hydraecia micacea (Esper, 1789)
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Phalaena micacea (Esper, 1789)
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PHALAENA micacea (Esper, 1789)
= Noctua cypriaca Hübner, [1803]
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Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur - Vol. IV, Part.2 : Title Page : p.466 :
Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur - Volume v5 (plates) : Tab. CX1V f.6
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Austria - Tirol