Clay (moth)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Clay
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Noctuidae Genus: Mythimna Species: M. ferrago
Binomial name
Mythimna ferrago Fabricius, 1787

The Clay (Mythimna ferrago) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.

The forewings of this species vary from buffish to orangey brown, usually with a darker central line running longways down the wing, interrupted by a pale stigma. There are usually a few small dark spots in the basal area. The hindwings are dark grey with paler margins. The male is easily recognizable by a triangular area of black hair on the underside of the abdomen. The wingspan is 36-44 mm. This moth flies at night in July and August ^[1] and is attracted to light and sugar.

The larva, brown with yellow stripes, feeds on various grasses including Deschampsia. The species overwinters as a small larva.

1. ↑  The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

[edit] External link

• The Clay at veluwe-insecten.nl

[edit] References

• Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
• Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984