Noctuidae : Noctuinae
Flame Shoulder
OCHROPLEURA plecta (Linnaeus, 1761)
Flame Shoulder
OCHROPLEURA plecta (Linnaeus, 1761)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 25-30mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe to Siberia and the Far East
UK Distridution: Resident : Common throughout most of Britain : Scotland-not recorded from Shetland Isles : Channel Isles-Widespread and common
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Wide range of habitats include-Gardens : Grasslands : Hedgerows : Farmland : Woodland : Wetland & Moorland
Similar Species:-
Larva: Southern Britain-June-July & September-October : Northern Britain-August-September.The larvae are polyphageous feeding on a wide genera of foodplants-feeds at night.The larva has two colour forms,one in greenish yellow and the other brown the latter which has a white lateral line running through the spiracles, below is light brown and above is dark brown.Viewed from above are two white parallel lateral white lines.The light greenish yellow form has the same lateral lines.
Overwinters as: Overwinters as a pupa just below ground level.
Observations: It is very clear to see how this moth was named when looking at the straw coloured streaks or "flame" that trails in a narrow band along the leading edge of the forewing and is further emphasised by the black streak behind the "flame". Add to all this the reddish brown forewing background colour and you certainly have a moth that moth that is unique.
The Flame Shoulder's similar species Radford's Flame Shoulder O. leucogaster has longer forewings with the background colour being rather dull compared to the reddish brown of O. plecta and the white kidney shaped and circular white spots being far less defined.
The moth is attracted to light and to sugar and can be found feeding on flowers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe to Siberia and the Far East
UK Distridution: Resident : Common throughout most of Britain : Scotland-not recorded from Shetland Isles : Channel Isles-Widespread and common
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena plecta (Linnaeus 1761)
- Phalaena plecta (Linnaeus, 1761)
- Sweden
Habitat: Wide range of habitats include-Gardens : Grasslands : Hedgerows : Farmland : Woodland : Wetland & Moorland
Similar Species:-
- Radford's Flame Shoulder Ochropleura leucogaster (Freyer, [1831])
Larva: Southern Britain-June-July & September-October : Northern Britain-August-September.The larvae are polyphageous feeding on a wide genera of foodplants-feeds at night.The larva has two colour forms,one in greenish yellow and the other brown the latter which has a white lateral line running through the spiracles, below is light brown and above is dark brown.Viewed from above are two white parallel lateral white lines.The light greenish yellow form has the same lateral lines.
Overwinters as: Overwinters as a pupa just below ground level.
Observations: It is very clear to see how this moth was named when looking at the straw coloured streaks or "flame" that trails in a narrow band along the leading edge of the forewing and is further emphasised by the black streak behind the "flame". Add to all this the reddish brown forewing background colour and you certainly have a moth that moth that is unique.
The Flame Shoulder's similar species Radford's Flame Shoulder O. leucogaster has longer forewings with the background colour being rather dull compared to the reddish brown of O. plecta and the white kidney shaped and circular white spots being far less defined.
The moth is attracted to light and to sugar and can be found feeding on flowers.
Subspecies
O. p. plecta Linnaeus, 1761-Europe except Iberian Peninsula
O. p. plecta Linnaeus, 1761-Europe except Iberian Peninsula
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
- Senecio vulgaris - Groundsel
- Chenopodiaceae - The Goosefoot Family
- Beta vulgaris - Sugar Beet
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Arachis hypogaea - Peanut
- Plantaginaceae - Plantain Family
- Plantago lanceolata - Ribwort Plantain
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Rumex crispus - Curled Dock
- Rubiaceae - Bedstraw Family
- Galium mullugo - Hedge Bedstraw
- Galium saxatile - Heath Bedstraw
- Galium verum - Lady's Bedstraw
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - Trifolium - Clover & Trefoils
- Saliceae - Salix - Willow
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - OCHROPLEURA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Nominotypical Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Noctuinae Noctuini OCHROPLEURA Hübner, [1821] Ochropleura plecta (Linnaeus, 1761) - Phalaena plecta (Linnaeus, 1761) - = PHALAENA plecta (Linnaeus 1761) = Ochropleura vicaria Walker, [1857] = Agrotis vibora Dognin, 1897 = Ochropleura plectella Strand, 1916 = Diarsia plecta urupplecta Bryk, 1942. - Phalaena plecta plecta Linnaeus 1761 - Fauna Suecica (Edn 2 enlarged) : Title Page : p.321 - n.1216 - Sweden-If Sylvia - O.p.plecta Linnaeus, 1761-Europe except Iberian Peninsula O.p.unimacula Staudinger, 1859-Iberian Peninsula |