Noctuidae : Hadeninae
Hebrew Character
ORTHOSIA (Semiophora) gothica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hebrew Character
ORTHOSIA (Semiophora) gothica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 30-35mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Common resident found throughout Great Britain and Ireland and Isle of Man : Channel Isles-Widespread and ubundant
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Literally found everywhere the larval food plant is available
Similar Species:-
The larva is polyphagous,feeding on a wide variety of plant families.
Pupa: Pupates underground in a cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The moth derives its name from the black(sometimes ground colour in northern species) symbol on the forewing which is very similar to "Bet/Vet ב " ,the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet.The mark can be variable but in most cases is saddle shaped and in other cases the symbol can be interrupted by the orbicular spot which divides it into two smaller marks.Normal ground colour varies from pale sandy to blackish and in the reddish O. g. f.gothicina the symbol is the same colour as the background and as such is indistinct.
Another form of this moth occurs further south into the southern counties and has a more variable background colour which is O. g. f.obsoleta Tutt
The moth is attracted to light and sugar,often appearing in good numbers.They tend to fly late at night even under cold conditions and feed on Sallow catkins.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Common resident found throughout Great Britain and Ireland and Isle of Man : Channel Isles-Widespread and ubundant
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena Noctua gothica (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Noctua instabilis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
- Europe
Habitat: Literally found everywhere the larval food plant is available
Similar Species:-
- Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum (Linnaeus, 1758)
The larva is polyphagous,feeding on a wide variety of plant families.
Pupa: Pupates underground in a cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The moth derives its name from the black(sometimes ground colour in northern species) symbol on the forewing which is very similar to "Bet/Vet ב " ,the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet.The mark can be variable but in most cases is saddle shaped and in other cases the symbol can be interrupted by the orbicular spot which divides it into two smaller marks.Normal ground colour varies from pale sandy to blackish and in the reddish O. g. f.gothicina the symbol is the same colour as the background and as such is indistinct.
Another form of this moth occurs further south into the southern counties and has a more variable background colour which is O. g. f.obsoleta Tutt
The moth is attracted to light and sugar,often appearing in good numbers.They tend to fly late at night even under cold conditions and feed on Sallow catkins.
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
- Centaurea phrygia - Wig Knapweed
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus incana - Grey Alder
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Cannabidaceae - Hemp/Hop Family
- Humulus lupulus - Hop
- Ericaceae - Heather Family
- Vaccinium myrtilus - Bilberry - Blue Whortleberry
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Grossulariaceae - Gooseberry Family
- Ribes alpinum - Alpine Currant
- Ribes nigrum - Blackcurrant
- Lythraceae - Loosestrife Family
- Lythrum salicaria - Purple Loosestrife
- Onagraceae - Evening Primrose Family
- Epilobium angustifolium - Rosebay Willow-herb
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Polygonum aviculare - Postrate Knotweed
- Polygonatum odoratum - Solomon's Seal
- Rumex crispus - Curled Dock
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Ranunculus auricomus - Goldilock's Buttercup
- Rhamnaceae - The Buckthorn Family
- Rhamnus frangula - Alder Buckthorn
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Filipendula ulmaria - Meadowsweet
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Rubus idaeus - Raspberry - Framboise
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum(Britain)
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry - Hackberry
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus tremula - Aspen Poplar
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Salix phylicifolia - Tealeaf Willow
- Saxifragaceae - Saxifrage Family
- Saxifraga granulata - Meadow Saxifrage
- Tiliaceae - Lime - Linden Family
- Tilia platyphyllos - Large-leaved Lime
- Urticaeae - Nettle Family
- Urtica dioica - Stinging Nettle - Common Nettle
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Betulaceae - Betula - Birch
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Hieracium - Hawkweed
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Urtica dioica - Stinging Nettle - Common Nettle
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 - ORTHOSIA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Noctuinae Orthosiini ORTHOSIA Ochsenheimer 1816 Semiophora Stephens,1829 Orthosia (semiophora) gothica (Linnaeus, 1758) - Noctua instabilis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - PHALAENA Noctua gothica (Linnaeus, 1758) = Phalaena Noctua gothica Linnaeus, 1758 = Noctua nunatrum Schiffermüller, 1775 = Orthosia gothicina Herrich-Schäffer, 1849 = Monima gothica yeterufica Bryk, 1942 = Orthosia (Semiophora) gothica. - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.516 - n.107 - Europe |