Plusia festucae

Gold spot
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Plusia
Species: P. festucae
Binomial name
Plusia festucae
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Plusia festucae (gold spot) is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout the Palearctic ecozone from Ireland to Japan.

Technical description and variation

For a key to the terms used, see Glossary of entomology terms.

The wingspan is 34–46 mm. Forewing deep golden brown, with a golden metallic sheen at base of costa, on inner margin of median area, and on an oblique patch before apex; lines' all oblique, dark brown; veins dark brown; at base of vein 2 a large silvery rounded blotch, with a smaller, more elongate, one beyond it; the lowest streak of the apical blotch, below vein 6, and a spot at base of costa are also silvery; hindwing bronzy fuscous, with pinkish fringe. [1]

Larva

Biology

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

Larva green; dorsal line dark green, edged with white; subdorsal and lateral lines white; spiracular yellowish; head green. The larvae feed on Carex, Sparganium erectum, Iris pseudacorus and Alisma. .[2] Pupates in a whitish cocoon on the underside of a blade of grass, doubled over for the purpose.

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.".
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