Noctuidae : Hadeninae
Dot Moth
MELANCHRA persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761)
Dot Moth
MELANCHRA persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 37-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Southern Britain-Common and widespread : Northern England to Southern Scotland-Local : Ireland-Widespread : Isle of Man-Local : Channel Islands-Widespread and frequent
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Gardens : Parks : Open Woodland : Hedgerows
Similar Species -
The larva found from August to October feeds by day and by night resting on the larval food plant.
Pupa: Pupates in a underground cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: Clearly, identifying this moth is remarkably easy with its glossy black wings and pure white reniform stigmata it is a unique moth, with no similar species.
Although it is a common moth in the south of the country it is local elswhere and as such is a priority species under the biodivesity Action Plan 2007.
The moth is single brooded flying in late June to August where it is a regular to the moth trap and is also attracted to sugar and to flowers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Southern Britain-Common and widespread : Northern England to Southern Scotland-Local : Ireland-Widespread : Isle of Man-Local : Channel Islands-Widespread and frequent
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 - Priority Species : 2010
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- BAP : 2007 - Priority Species
- Vulnerable
- Least Concern
- Phalaena persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761)
- Phalaena persicaria (Linnaeus, 1761)
- in Polygono Persicariæ
Habitat: Gardens : Parks : Open Woodland : Hedgerows
Similar Species -
- None
The larva found from August to October feeds by day and by night resting on the larval food plant.
Pupa: Pupates in a underground cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: Clearly, identifying this moth is remarkably easy with its glossy black wings and pure white reniform stigmata it is a unique moth, with no similar species.
Although it is a common moth in the south of the country it is local elswhere and as such is a priority species under the biodivesity Action Plan 2007.
The moth is single brooded flying in late June to August where it is a regular to the moth trap and is also attracted to sugar and to flowers.
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.
- Apiaceae - Umbelliferae - Umbellifer Family
- Agopodium podagraria - Ground-Elder - Bishop's Goutweed
- Araliaceae - Ivy Family
- Hedera helix - Ivy
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Cirsium arvense - Creeping Thistle - Canada Thistle
- Heiracium umbellatum - Hawkweed
- Rudbeckia laciniata - Cone Flower
- Solidago virgaurea - Goldenrod
- Balsaminaceae - Balsam Family
- Impatiens noli-tangere - Touch-Me-Not
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus incana - Grey Alder
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Campanulaceae - Bellflower Family
- Campunula rapunculoides - Creeping Bellflower
- Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family
- Sambucus nigra - European Elder - Elderberry
- Sambucus racemosa - American Red Elder
- Chenopodiaceae - The Goosefoot Family
- Spinacia oleracea - Spinach
- Spinacia oleracea - Spinach
- Dennstaedtiaceae - Fern Family
- Pteridium aquilinum - Bracken
- Ericaceae - Heather Family
- Callluna vulgaris - Common Heather - Ling
- Vaccinium uliginosum - Bog Bilberry - Northern Bilberry
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Lupinus angustifolius - Blue Lupin
- Trifolium repens - White Clover - Dutch Clover
- Grossulariaceae - Currant Family
- Ribes alpinum - Alpine Currant
- Ribes nigrum - Blackcurrant
- Ribes uva-crispa - Gooseberry
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Rumex obtusifolius - Broad-leaved Dock
- Primulaceae - Primrose Family
- Lysimachia vulgaris - Yellow Loosestrife
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Aconitum lycoctonum - Wolfsbane
- Aconitum septentrionale - Northern Wolfsbane
- Actaea spicata - Herb Christopher
- Aquilegia vulgaris - Columbine
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry - Hackberry
- Rubus idaeus - Raspberry - Framboise
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix cinerea - Grey Willow
- Salix phylicifolia - Tealeaf Willow
- Tropaeolaceae - Nasturtium Family
- Tropoaeolum majus - Nasturtium
- Urticaeae - Nettle Family
- Urtica dioica - Stinging Nettle - Common Nettle
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Tagetes - Marigolds
- Pinaceae - Larix - Larch
- Polemoniaceae - Phlox
- 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: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - MELANCHRA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Hadeninae Hadenini MELANCHRA Hübner [1820] Melanchra persicariae (Linnaeus 1761) - Phalaena persicaria (Linnaeus, 1761) - PHALAENA persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761) = Phalaena (Noctua) persicariae Linnaeus, 1761 = Phalaena sambuci Hufnagel, 1766 = Phalaena graphica Geoffroy, 1785 = Phalaena (Noctua) accipitrina Esper, 1788 = unicolor Staudinger, 1781 = Polia persicariae japonibia Bryk, 1942. - Fauna Suecica (Edn 2 enlarged) : Title Page : p.319 - n.1208 - in Polygono Persicariæ - M.p.cypriaca Hacker & Wimmer 1990 M.p. persicariae Linnaeus 1761 |