73.209 : 2241 : 9670
Noctuidae : Xyleninae

Red Sword-grass

XYLENA (Lithomola) vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 56 - 64mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less some Mediterranean Islands : N W Africa : Asia to C Siberia
UK Distribution: Mainland Scotland,including Hebrides,Northern England,Wales,Isle of Man - fairly well distributed : Southern England,especially New Forest - local & rare : Rest of Southern England,East Anglia Midlands - scattering of records
UK Conservation Status -
  • Local = 101 - 300  10km squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Noctua vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
Type Species - Xylena
  • Phalaena exsoleta Linnaeus, 1758
Type Locality -
  • Europe
Flight Period: September - November reappearing February - May
Habitat: Moorland : Damp Woodland : Rough Upland Pasture : Boggy Heathland : Marshes
Similar Species -
  • Sword-grass - Xylena exsoleta - (Linnaeus, 1758)
Larva: The 60mm final instar larva is variable in light green,dark green and black with a yellow dorsal line,whitish subdorsal line and broad white spiracular line which has black edging above. along the back are a series of small white pinacula. The head is brownish green and spiracles ranging from whitish to reddish.
Pupa: Pupates underground in slight cocoon
Overwinters as: Adult
Observations: The Sword-grass the terminal half of the forewing is grey or blackish grey and not contrasting with basal half of forewing.there is no reddish brown on this similar species and the sword like markings are more variable and usually shorter.
This moth rests with its wings wrapped around body and tapers towards the terminal.There is a strong contrast in colour between the termiinal half of the forewing which is straw and the basal half which is rich mahogany brown.

Attracted to light and sugar and comes to flowers like Ivy and to overipe blackberries.
Photo Gallery
Larva
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 : XYLENA:

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Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Xyleninae
Xylenini
XYLENA Ochsenheimer, 1816
Lithomola Hübner [1821])
Xylena (Lythomola) vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
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Phalaena exsoleta Linnaeus, 1758
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NOCTUA vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
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Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge / errichtet von Jacob Hübner in Augsburg. 1761-1826 : Lepidoptera 1V : Noctuae 11 :  pl. 97, f. 459
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Europe