73.270 : 2155 : 9984
Noctuidae : Hadeninae

Dot Moth

MELANCHRA persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
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 -
  • 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
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761)
Type Species - Melanchra
  • Phalaena persicaria (Linnaeus, 1761)
Type Locality -
  • in Polygono Persicariæ
Flight Season: South-Late May to September : Elsewhere-Late June to August
Habitat: Gardens : Parks : Open Woodland : Hedgerows
Similar  Species -
  • None
Larva: If larva can be described as gorgeous then this is one whose final instar is found in a variety of different colour forms from one with yellowish green background with dark green chevrons facing the head from the side and the rear when viewed from the top. A brown form in light and dark can be described as previously and a pinky purplish instar again displaying the same chevron markings.
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.

Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - MELANCHRA:

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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Hadeninae
Hadenini
MELANCHRA Hübner [1820]
Melanchra persicariae (Linnaeus 1761)
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Phalaena persicaria (Linnaeus, 1761)
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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.
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Fauna Suecica (Edn 2 enlarged)  : Title Page : p.319 - n.1208
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in Polygono Persicariæ
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M.p.cypriaca Hacker & Wimmer 1990
M.p. persicariae Linnaeus 1761