Noctuidae : Hadeninae
Common Wainscot
MYTHIMNA (Mythimna) pallens (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Wainscot
MYTHIMNA (Mythimna) pallens (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 30-35mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Russia
UK Distribution: Southern Britain-Common and abundant northwards to Southern Scotland : Scotland including Shetland Isles-local elsewhere : Ireland,Isle of Man,Channel isles-Widespread and abundant
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Grassland habitats : Gardens : Open woodland etc
Similar Speciesv -
Larva-south-June to August + September to May : north-June to August
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations: It should be noted that when comparing the Common Wainscot M. pallens with its similar species Mathew's Wainscot M. favicolor that the latter is only found in saltmarshes in Hampshire to Suffolk.
The Common Wainscot M. pallens has paler wings and lacks the grey dusting on the forewing when compared with the Smoky Wainscot and the hindwing is whiter with grey dusting.
The moth is a regular at the light trap often appearing in large numbers,is attracted to sugar and also feeds on flowers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Russia
UK Distribution: Southern Britain-Common and abundant northwards to Southern Scotland : Scotland including Shetland Isles-local elsewhere : Ireland,Isle of Man,Channel isles-Widespread and abundant
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Noctua) pallens (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phalaena turca (Linnaeus, 1761)
- Europe
Habitat: Grassland habitats : Gardens : Open woodland etc
Similar Speciesv -
- Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura (Hübner, [1808])
- Mathew's Wainscot Mythimna favicolor (Barrett, 1896)
Larva-south-June to August + September to May : north-June to August
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations: It should be noted that when comparing the Common Wainscot M. pallens with its similar species Mathew's Wainscot M. favicolor that the latter is only found in saltmarshes in Hampshire to Suffolk.
The Common Wainscot M. pallens has paler wings and lacks the grey dusting on the forewing when compared with the Smoky Wainscot and the hindwing is whiter with grey dusting.
The moth is a regular at the light trap often appearing in large numbers,is attracted to sugar and also feeds on flowers.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants
Common Wainscot larvae feed on plant families described below plant photos.
The Common Wainscot larvae also feed on the following list of hostplants :-
Gramineae
Common Wainscot larvae feed on plant families described below plant photos.
The Common Wainscot larvae also feed on the following list of hostplants :-
Gramineae
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.
- Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grasses Family
- Dactylis glomerata - Cock's-foot - Orchard grass
- Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair-grass - Tussock grass
- Deschampsia flexuosa - Wavy Hair-grass
- Elymus repens - Couch grass
- Leymus arenarius - Lyme Grass
- Poa annua - Annual Meadow Grass
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Poaceae - Gramineae - Festuca - Fescues/Lolium - Ryegrasses/Phalaris - Canarygrasses
- Poaceae - Gramineae - Festuca - Fescues/Lolium - Ryegrasses/Phalaris - Canarygrasses
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
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 - MYTHIMNA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Genus Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Hadeninae Leucaniini MYTHIMNA Ochsenheimer, 1816 mythimna Ochsenheimer, 1816 Mythimna (Mythimna) pallens (Linnaeus,1758) - Phalaena turca (Linnaeus, 1761) - PHALAENA (Noctua) pallens (Linnaeus, 1758) = Noctua ectypa Hübner, 1803 = Noctua rufescens Haworth, 1809 = Leucania arcuata Stephens, 1829 = Leucania ochracea Stephens, 1829 = Leucania suffusa Stephens, 1829 = Aletia pallens = Mythimna (Mythimna) pallens. - MYTHIMNA Ochsenheimer, 1816 = Aletia Hübner 1821 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title Page : p.510 - n.77 - Europe |