73.317 : 2089 : 10,348
Noctuidae : Noctuinae

Heart & Dart

AGROTIS exclamationis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 30-44mm
Worldwide Distribution: Palearctic ecozone
UK Distribution: Resident : Common and abundant throughout the British Isles,Isle of Man,Channel Isles & Ireland : Scotland-Widespread but less plentiful.Shetland & Orkney Isles-rare immigrant
UK Conservation Status:-
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name:-
  • Phalaena (Noctua) exclamationis Linnaeus, 1758
Type Species - Agrostis
  • Noctua segetum ([Dennis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Type Locality: Europe
Flight Period: South-mid April-mid October peaking late June-Bivoltine : Elsewhere-Mid May-late August-peaking July in North
Habitat: Moth can be found in most habitat types except high altitude : Farms : Gardens : Pastures etc
Similar Species:-
  • Heart and Club Agrotis clavis (Hufnagel, 1766)
  • Great Dart Agrotis crassa Hübner, [1803]
  • Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Larva: July-following spring : larva feeds up until October, hiding during the day amongst litter and soil.
Larva is light brown with zigzag darker brown lateral lines viewed from top. Darkened spiracles along the side of the larva are pronounced.
Pupa: Pupates in underground cell.
Overwinters as: Fully grown larva
Observations: This moth is one of the easiest to identify with its darkened collar behind the head which is still clearly identifiable even on darker specimens and the two dark-like markings on the forewing, close to the base, which give the moth its common name.
Similar in appearance to the Heart and Club A. clavis the moth is less blunt and stocky.
The forewing background colour tends to remain plain,lacking any flecking or streaks and ranges between light brown through dark brown into black.
The male is generally lighter than the female and is also lacking the feathery antenae.

At the height of the moths life cycle it is definitely the most common moth to visit the garden light trap.
Also attracted to sugar and flowers
Subspecies
A. e. exclamationis Linnaeus, 1758-Europe
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.
Taxonomy
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Forms/Aberrations:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Noctuidae
Noctuinae
Noctuini
AGROTIS Ochsenheimer, 1816
Agrotis exclamationis (Linnaeus 1758)
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Noctua segetum ([Dennis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
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PHALAENA exclamationis (Linnaeus, 1758)
= Phalaena clavus Hufnagel, 1766
= Phalaena (Noctua) murina Goeze, 1781
= Phalaena bimaculata Geoffroy, 1785
= Noctua picea Haworth, 1809
= Agrotis plaga Stephens, 1835
= Agrotis informis Leech, 1889
= Lycophotia haruspex Le Cerf, 1924
= Agrotis exclamationis nigriorbis Zerny, 1934
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AGROTIS Ochsenheimer 1816
= Powellinia Oberthür 1912
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PHALAENA exclamationis exclamationis Linnaeus, 1758
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title Page : p.515 - n.106
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Europe
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A.e.exclamationis Linnaeus 1758-Europe
A.e.corsica Rungs, 1977-Corsica