Orthosia miniosa

Orthosia miniosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Orthosia
Species: O. miniosa
Binomial name
Orthosia miniosa
Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775

The Blossom Underwing (Orthosia miniosa) is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in Europe.

Technical Description and variation

See glossary for terms used

The wingspan is 31–36 mm. The length of the forewings is 15–17 mm. Forewing sandy rufous, black-speckled, median area generally deeper rufous: lines browner, edged with pale, the outer dentate-lunulate; stigmata with yellowish outlines and grey centres: submarginal line rufous and yellowish: hindwing white, rosy-tinged along termen; cellspot, outer line, and veins sometimes well-marked ;- rubricosa Esp. is the form in which the red of the median area is most emphasised; — pallida Tutt is greyish ochreous, with hardly a vestige of rufous: in virgata Tutt, while the basal and marginal areas are grey, the median space is rufous.[1]

Biology

The moth flies in one generation from the end of March to mid May .

Larva pale or dark blue grey; dorsal and subdorsal lines yellow; the sides black with a yellow spiracular line, marked with a white spot on each segment; head whitish with coarse blackish mottling. The larvae feed on various trees and shrubs, mainly oak.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ The flight season refers to Belgium and the Netherlands. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References

  1. ↑ Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde, Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914
  2. ↑ "Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni & L. M. Hernández, 2010. HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London.".

External links

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