Noctuidae : Xyleninae
Dark Brocade agg.
MNIOTYPE adusta (Esper, 1790)
Dark Brocade agg.
MNIOTYPE adusta (Esper, 1790)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 42-48mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distridution: Resident : Quite well distributed in most parts of England,Wales and Scotland but has declined in Hampshire since the 1960's: Orkneys and Shetlands : Isle of Man : Ireland
UK Conservation Status -
Flight Period: Late May-Mid August-Univoltine-single generation
Habitat: South-Heathland : Chalk Downland : Gardens : Fens : Woodland. North-Moorland : Sand Dunes : Upland Grassland
Similar Species -
1/Green-four,equally spaced around the larva,whitish/yellow lateral lines along the length of larva.
2/Yellowish green-Side view-white lateral line running through spiracles with adjoining reddish lateral line above.Top view-three equally spaced interrupted reddish lateral lines.
3/Side view-Whitish yellow lateral line running through spiracles,background colour greenish below and reddish above.Top view-Background reddish with three feint whitish lateral lines.
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon in April and May
Overwinters as: Fully grown larva
Observations: The Dark Brocade has broad forewings which are pointed at the apex and ranges in background colour between pale brown and blackish brown.
As can be seen in the specimen below the darker forewings are tinged with grey markings and a black bar ajoins the subterminal fascia.
The kidney shaped spot on the forewing is tinged with a white streak and the subterminal fascia is jagged form the letter 'W" towards the centre of this white cross-line on both forewings.
The similar species Pale-shouldered Brocade L.thalassina has clearer defined white cross lines which are also thicker.
The Dark Brocade can be identified by its hairless eyes,with long eyelashes, when comparing it with the similar species identified above.
The moth comes to light,as was the situation with the specimen below which was found on the second attempt next to my outside black light. Having decreased over the southern counties,this moth is of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action plan.
The moth also comes to sugar and can be found imbibing at flowers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distridution: Resident : Quite well distributed in most parts of England,Wales and Scotland but has declined in Hampshire since the 1960's: Orkneys and Shetlands : Isle of Man : Ireland
UK Conservation Status -
- NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) & NERC S.42 : 2009 (Wales) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity"
- Northern Ireland : 2010 - Priority Species
- BAP : 2007 - Priority Species
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Nocta) adusta (Esper 1790)
- Hadena ducta Grote, 1878
Flight Period: Late May-Mid August-Univoltine-single generation
Habitat: South-Heathland : Chalk Downland : Gardens : Fens : Woodland. North-Moorland : Sand Dunes : Upland Grassland
Similar Species -
- Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Pale-shouldered Brocade Laconobia thalassina (Hufnagel, 1766)
1/Green-four,equally spaced around the larva,whitish/yellow lateral lines along the length of larva.
2/Yellowish green-Side view-white lateral line running through spiracles with adjoining reddish lateral line above.Top view-three equally spaced interrupted reddish lateral lines.
3/Side view-Whitish yellow lateral line running through spiracles,background colour greenish below and reddish above.Top view-Background reddish with three feint whitish lateral lines.
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon in April and May
Overwinters as: Fully grown larva
Observations: The Dark Brocade has broad forewings which are pointed at the apex and ranges in background colour between pale brown and blackish brown.
As can be seen in the specimen below the darker forewings are tinged with grey markings and a black bar ajoins the subterminal fascia.
The kidney shaped spot on the forewing is tinged with a white streak and the subterminal fascia is jagged form the letter 'W" towards the centre of this white cross-line on both forewings.
The similar species Pale-shouldered Brocade L.thalassina has clearer defined white cross lines which are also thicker.
The Dark Brocade can be identified by its hairless eyes,with long eyelashes, when comparing it with the similar species identified above.
The moth comes to light,as was the situation with the specimen below which was found on the second attempt next to my outside black light. Having decreased over the southern counties,this moth is of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action plan.
The moth also comes to sugar and can be found imbibing at flowers.
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.
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Artemesia absinthium - Wormwood
- Artemesia vulgaris - Mugwort
- Solidago virgaurea - Goldenrod
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder
- Crassulaceae - Orpine Family
- Sedum telephium - Orpine - Live-forever Stonecrop
- Caryophyllaceae - Pink - Carnation Family
- Silene vulgaris - Bladder Campion
- Ericaceae - Heather Family
- Calluna vulgaris - Common Heather - Ling
- Vaccinium uliginosum - Bog Bilberry - Northern Bilberry
- Myricaceae - Wax-myrtle Family
- Myrica gale - Bog Myrtle
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 - MNIOTYPE: Original Species Name: Species Names Genus Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Xyleninae Xylenini MNIOTYPE Franclemont 1941 Mniotype adjusta (Esper 1790) - Hadena ducta Grote, 1878 - PHALAENA (Nocta) adusta (Esper 1790) = Noctua duplex Haworth, 1809 = Noctua valida Hübner, 1813 = Hadena vultarina Freyer, 1832 = Hadena sommeri Lefebvre 1836 = Hadena chardinyi Duponchel, 1838 = Hadena pavida Boisduval, 1840 = Hadena baltica Hering, 1846 = Crino adusta lappona Rangnow, 1935 = Blepharita adusta. - = MNIOTYPE Franclemont 1941-Genus = Eremobastis Perez-Lopez & Morente-Benitez 1996 - Book 1 - Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur - Vol 4 - pt 2 : Noct 373 to 698 : Title Page : p.483 Book 2 - Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur - Vol v.5 (plates) - p.55- Tab CXL1X- f.2 - Germany-Frankfurt - M.a.vicina Alphéraky, 1882-China-Xinjiang M.a.adjuncta Moore, 1881-Dalhousie M.a.moesta Staudinger, 1898-Type Locality Apfel Mtns |
