| Minsmere Crimson Underwing | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Hexapoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Catocala |
| Species: | C. conjuncta |
| Binomial name | |
| Catocala conjuncta (Esper, 1787) |
|
Catocala conjuncta is a circum-Mediterranean species of moth whose range extends across southern Europe, North Africa and extending to the Middle East. The larvae feed on Holm Oak Quercus ilex.
Like other related species C. conjuncta has mottled brown fore-wings and crimson-red hind-wings with a black central line. The species differs from its European congeners in the shape of the post-median line on the fore-wing and the straighter black line on the hind-wings.
Extra-limitally, conjuncta has occurred just once in Britain, being found at light by Robin Harvey at the RSPB Minsmere reserve on the Suffolk coast on 14 September 2004. Following this record the English name 'Minsmere Crimson Underwing' has been adopted.