Mint moth

Pyrausta aurata
fresh, first brood
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Genus: Pyrausta
Species: P. aurata
Binomial name
Pyrausta aurata
Scopoli, 1763
Synonyms
  • Pyrausta deficiens Dufrane, 1957
  • Pyrausta inciae Koçak, 1981
  • Botys purpuralis var. meridionalis Staudinger, 1879

The mint moth (Pyrausta aurata) is a small moth from the family Crambidae. In the UK, it has two broods; in May/June, and July/August. It flies both at day and at night.

The purplish-brown wings have a span from 10 to 15 millimetres, and a single golden yellow spot on each overwing and underwing. The moth is very similar to the related Pyrausta purpuralis, a slightly larger moth with a larger number of yellow spots.

As the name suggests, the mint moth often uses mint as a food plant, though it can also be found on other species such as marjoram. In north-west Europe it can be seen from April until the end of September and is capable of having two generations in each season.

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