| Straw Underwing | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Thalpophila |
| Species: | T. matura |
| Binomial name | |
| Thalpophila matura Hufnagel, 1766 |
|
The Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.
This species has a wingspan of 38-46 mm. The forewings are dark brown, often variegated with paler and reddish patches and usually with prominent whitish postterminal fascia. The hindwings are very distinctive, pale straw-coloured with a broad blackish band at the margin. This moth flies at night in July and August [1] and is attracted to light, sugar and various nectar-rich flowers.
The larva, brown with dark markings on the back, feeds on various grasses such as Dactylis. This species overwinters as a small larva.