Mythimna turca

Double line
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Mythimna
Species:	M. turca
Binomial name
Mythimna turca Linnaeus, 1761

Mythimna turca, the double line, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Europe. The eastern expansion extends through northern Asia and central Asia to northern China, Korea and Japan. It rises to a height of about 700 metres in the Alps.

Technical description and variation

The wingspan is 37–45 mm. Forewing pale rufous ochreous, dappled throughout with rufous fuscous, and very finely dusted with black atoms; inner and outer lines dark, conversely oblique; reniform stigma alone represented, forming a pale streak on discocellular, the lower end whiter, followed by a slight dark cloud; hindwing rufous, suffused in varying degrees with fuscous;- the form limbata Btlr. from Japan generally has the inner line of forewing more strongly angled beneath costa, while the legs are more heavily tufted; — ab. turcella Stgr. from Dauria is smaller and paler.^[1]

Biology

The moth flies from June to July depending on the location.

Larva yellowish grey, mottled with darker, especially in front; dorsal and subdorsal lines pale ochreous; a dorsal series of dark streaks; spiracles with black rings.The larvae feed on various grasses, including Dactylus glomerata, Poa nemoralis and Luzula species.

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

External links

• Fauna Europaea
• European Butterflies and Moths
• Lepiforum
• UK Moths