Noctuidae : Hadeninae
Cabbage Moth
MAMESTRA brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Cabbage Moth
MAMESTRA brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 34-50mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - not Crete
UK Distribution: Common throughout the British Isles,Isle of Man and Ireland, but less so further north.Channel Isles - widespread and abundant
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Gardens : Fields : Open Woodland
Similar Species -
Pupa: Overwinters mainly as a pupa in and underground cocoon , but sometimes as a larva
Overwinters as: Pupa,sometimes larva
Observations: This species of moth can be clearly defined by the white edging towrds the rear of the reniform stigmata and the white edging to the black terminal line which also forms a letter "W" about one third in from the dorsum.
The orbicular spot is highlighted by black edging on the front and rear of the spot and also the front of the stigmata.
The ground colour of the forewings is brownish grey with some specimens being more blackish or paler.
The similar species White Colon has only a colon mark towards the rear of the stigmata the rest being undefined,and the Dark Brocade has a black vertical bar which connects to postmedial and antemedial cross-lines.
Similar to Dot Moth but is less black.
The moth is attracted to light and usually is found at the moth trap in small numbers.
The moth is also attracted to sugar and feeds on flowers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - not Crete
UK Distribution: Common throughout the British Isles,Isle of Man and Ireland, but less so further north.Channel Isles - widespread and abundant
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phalaena brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)
- [Europe]
Habitat: Gardens : Fields : Open Woodland
Similar Species -
- Dot Moth - Melanchra persicariae (Linnaeus, 1761)
- Dark Brocade - Blepharita adusta (Esper, 1790)
- White Colon - Sideridis albicolon (Hübner, 1813)
Pupa: Overwinters mainly as a pupa in and underground cocoon , but sometimes as a larva
Overwinters as: Pupa,sometimes larva
Observations: This species of moth can be clearly defined by the white edging towrds the rear of the reniform stigmata and the white edging to the black terminal line which also forms a letter "W" about one third in from the dorsum.
The orbicular spot is highlighted by black edging on the front and rear of the spot and also the front of the stigmata.
The ground colour of the forewings is brownish grey with some specimens being more blackish or paler.
The similar species White Colon has only a colon mark towards the rear of the stigmata the rest being undefined,and the Dark Brocade has a black vertical bar which connects to postmedial and antemedial cross-lines.
Similar to Dot Moth but is less black.
The moth is attracted to light and usually is found at the moth trap in small numbers.
The moth is also attracted to sugar and feeds on 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.
- Alliaceae - Allium Family
- Allium cepa - Garden Onion
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster - Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Calendula officianalis - Pot marigold
- Helianthus annuus - Sunflower
- Latuca sativa - Lettuce
- Brassicaceae - Mustard Flowers - Cabbage Family
- Brassica napus - Rape - Colza
- Brassica oleraceae - Wild Cabbage
- Brassica oleracea v. botrytis - Cauliflower
- Brassica oleracea v. capitata - Cabbage
- Brassica rapa - Turnip
- Raphanus sativus - Radish
- Caryophyllaceae - Pink - Carnation Family
- Dianthus caryophyllus - Carnation
- Lychnis chalcedonica - Maltese Cross
- Silene pratensis - Evening Campion
- Chenopodiaceae - Goosefoot Family
- Beta vulgaris - Sugar Beet
- Spinacia oleracea - Spinach
- Cucurbitaceae - Melon - Squashes - Gourds Family
- Byronia alba - White Byrony
- Cucurbita pepo - Pumpkin
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Psium sativum - Garden Pea
- Lamiaceae - Labiata - Mint - Deadnettle Family
- Hyssopus officinalis - Hyssop
- Linaceae - Flax Family
- Linum usitatissimum - Flax
- Plantaginaceae - Plantain Family
- Plantago major - Common Plantain
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Rheum rhaponticum - Rhubarb
- Ranuncullaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Aquilegia vulgaris - Columbine
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Solanaceae - Nightshade Family
- Hyoscyamus niger - Henbane
- Lycopersicon esculentum - Tomato
- Nicotiana rustica - Wild Tobacco
- Solanum tuberosum - Potato
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Rudbeckia
- Polygonaceae - Rumex - Dock
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
Larval Food Plants
|
|
|
Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - MAMESTRA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Hadeninae Hadenini MAMESTRA Ochsenheimer 1816 Mamestra brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena brassicae ( Linnaeus, 1758) - PHALAENA (Noctua) brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) = Phalaena Noctua brassicae Linnaeus, 1758 = Phalaena omicron Geoffrey, 1785 = Noctua albidilinea Haworth, 1809 = Hybobarathra unicolor Marumo, 1917 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title Page : p.516 - n.111 - [Europe] |