Noctuidae : Xyleninae
Red Sword-grass
XYLENA (Lithomola) vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
Red Sword-grass
XYLENA (Lithomola) vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
Life Cycle Guide
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 -
Habitat: Moorland : Damp Woodland : Rough Upland Pasture : Boggy Heathland : Marshes
Similar Species -
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.
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
- Least Concern
- Noctua vetusta (Hübner, [1813])
- Phalaena exsoleta Linnaeus, 1758
- Europe
Habitat: Moorland : Damp Woodland : Rough Upland Pasture : Boggy Heathland : Marshes
Similar Species -
- Sword-grass - Xylena exsoleta - (Linnaeus, 1758)
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.
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.
- Aceraceae - Maple Family
- Acer platanoides - Norway Maple
- Apiaceae - Umbelliferae - Umbellifer Family
- Angelica sylvestris - Wild Angelica
- Asparagaceae - Monocots Family
- Asparagus officinalis - Asparagus
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Crepis paludosa - Marsh Hawksbeard
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Brassicaceae - Mustards - Mustard Flowers - Cabbage Family
- Brassica oleraceae - Wild Cabbage
- Chenopodiaceae - The Goosefoot Family
- Beta vulgaris - Sugar Beet
- Cyperaceae - Sedge Family
- Carex vesicaria - Bladder Sedge
- Eleocharis palustris - Common Spike-Rush
- Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani - Soft-stemmed Bulrush
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Lotus corniculatus - Bird's-foot Trefoil
- Medicago sativa - Alfalfa
- Psium sativum - Garden Pea
- Trifolium pratense - Red Clover
- Grossulariaceae - Currant Family
- Ribes nigrum - Blackcurrant
- Iridaceae - Iris Family
- Iris pseudacorus - Yellow Flag
- Juncaceae - Reed Family
- Juncus conglomeratus - Compact /Common Rush
- Menyanthes - Bogbean Family
- Menyanthes trifoliata - Bogbean
- Myrica gale - Bog Myrtle
- Onagraceae - Evening Primrose Family
- Epilobium angustifolium - Rosebay Willow-herb
- Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grasses Family
- Agrostis stolonifera - Creeping Bent - Spreading Bent
- Festuca rubra - Red Fescue - Creeping Red Fescue
- Glyceria maxima - Great Manna Grass
- Phragmites australis - Common Reed
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Polygonum bistorta - Commom Bistort
- Rumex hydrolapathum - Great Water Dock
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Caltha palustris - Marsh Marigold, Yellow marsh marigold
- Consolida regalis - Larkspur, Royal knight's-spur
- Ranunculus acris - Meadow Buttercup
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Subgenus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species : XYLENA: Original Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Xyleninae Xylenini XYLENA Ochsenheimer, 1816 Lithomola Hübner [1821]) Xylena (Lythomola) vetusta (Hübner, [1813]) - Phalaena exsoleta Linnaeus, 1758 - NOCTUA vetusta (Hübner, [1813]) - Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge / errichtet von Jacob Hübner in Augsburg. 1761-1826 : Lepidoptera 1V : Noctuae 11 : pl. 97, f. 459 - Europe |