Brown-line Bright-eye

Noctuidae : Hadeninae

Brown-line Bright-eye

MYTHIMNA (Mythimna) conigera ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Life Cycle Guide

Description

Wingspan: 32-38mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - excluding (Azores,Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Corsica,Crete,Cyprus,Madeira,Malta & Portugal)
UK Distribution: Common throughout most of Great Britain. Isle of Man - local : Ireland - widespread : Channel Is - single record for Jersey. : Orkney - few records : Shetland - no records
UK Conservation Status -

Common = > 300 10km squares

European Conservation Status -

Least Concern

Original Species Name -

Phalaena (Noctua) conigera ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Type Species - Mythimna

Phalaena turca (Linnaeus, 1761)

Type Locality -

Austria - Nr. Vienna

Flight Period: southern England - May - late August - univoltine : Elsewhere - late June - August - univoltine
Habitat: Woodland Rides : Rough Grassland : Gardens
Similar Species -

None

Larva: The 40mm final instar larva is light brown with a dark brown white edged dorsal line and brown subdorsal line that is edged with yellowish white line.The spiracular line is pale and the head is pale brown with two clear dark stripes
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon just below the soil
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The vernacular name is derived from the white tear shaped mark adjacent to the stigmata and the two brown cross lines,the antemedian and post median lines.The antemedian line forms a letter "W" across moth wings and the postmedian line is gently curved from costa to dorsum.
Although classed as common the moth has declined considerably in the past few years.

The moth feeds at flowers and sugar and is attracted to light.

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
- Bellis perennis - Daisy
- Senecio jacobaea - Common Ragwort
Lamiaceae - Labiatae - The Mint Family
- Teucrium scorodonia - Wood Sage
Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grasses Family
- Bromopsis erecta - Upright Brome
- Calamagrostis purpurea - Scandinavian Small-reed
- Dactylis glomerata - Cock's-foot - Orchard grass
- Deschampsia flexuosa - Wavy Hair-grass
- Elymus repens - Couch grass
- Festuca ovina - Sheep's Fescue
- Phalaris arundinacea - Reed canary grass
- Poa annua - Annual Meadow Grass
Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Fragaria vesca - Wild Strawberry
Theaceae - Camelia Family
- Camellia sinensis - Tea Plant, Assam tea, Tea Tree Camellia
Valerianaceae - Valerian Family
- Centranthus ruber - Red Valerian

Larval Food Plants

Taxonomy

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Type Species - MYTHIMNA:

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Subspecies:

Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Hadeninae
Leucaniini
MYTHIMNA Ochsenheimer, 1816
mythimna Ochsenheimer, 1816
Mythimna (Mythimna) conigera ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
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Phalaena turca (Linnaeus, 1761)
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PHALAENA (Noctua) conigera ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
= Phalaena (Noctua) floccida Esper, 1788
= Aletia conigera Hübner 1821
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Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.84 - n.3
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Austria - Nr. Vienna
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M. c. angulifera (Moore, 1881) - Kashmir