73.293 : 2198 : 10,006
Noctuidae : Hadeninae

Smoky Wainscot

MYTHIMNA (Mythimna) impura (Hübner, [1808])
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 31-38mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe to Siberia and Mongolia
UK Distribution: Common throughout Britain,Isle of Man,Ireland : Channel Isles-Widespread and abundant
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status - 
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name:-
  • Noctua impura Hübner, 1808
Type Species - Mythimna
  • Phalaena turca (Linnaeus, 1761)
Type Locality -
  • Europe
Flight Period: South-Mid May to August with possible partial second brood September-Mid October : Elsewhere-Late June to August
Habitat: Grassland habitats : Gardens : Sand Dunes : Rough Ground : Open woodland
Similar Species:-
  • Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens (Linnaeus, 1758)
Larva: The 32mm final instar larva has a straw coloured background and viewed from the side has a mid brown lateral band running through the spiracles, above is a buff lateral band with two thin parallel light brown lines running through and is edged at the top with a  white line,and below a lateral band in buff .Viewed from above there is a fine white line edged both sides with a brown fine line. Larva-July to end May.
Larva feeds at night.
Pupa: Pupates in an underground cocoon
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations: The moth is straw coloured with a prominent vein running from the base to the subterminal line,dusted both sides in smoky grey. The moth has other varying degrees of dustings across the forewing and along with the dusky grey hindwings, identifies this moth from its similar species, the Common Wainscot M. pallens which has white forewings.

In the south there is a patial second brood which last into early October as opposed to the single generation found further north.

The moth is attracted to the light trap,feeds on flowers and is also attracted to sugar.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants
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 - MYTHIMNA:

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Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Hadeninae
Leucaniini
MYTHIMNA Ochsenheimer, 1816
mythimna Ochsenheimer, 1816
Mythimna (Mythimna) impura (Hübner, [1808])
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Phalaena turca (Linnaeus, 1761)
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NOCTUA impura (Hübner, [1808]) 
= Noctua fuliginosa Haworth, 1809
= Noctua punctina Haworth, 1809
= Leucania impura scotica Cockayne, 1944
= Aletia impura
= Mythimna (Mythimna) impura.
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= MYTHIMNA Ochsenheimer 1816
= Aletia Hübner 1821
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Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge / errichtet von Jacob Hübner in Augsburg. 1761-1826 : Lepidoptera 1V : Noctua 11. 111 : pl. 85, f. 396
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Europe