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.

Gallery

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  fresh, first brood.

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  worn, first brood

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  fresh, second brood

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  worn, second brood

• Play media

  video of Pyrausta aurata

External links

• Further information from the UK Moths website

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pyrausta aurata.