Broad-barred white

Broad-barred white
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Hecatera
Species: H. bicolorata
Binomial name
Hecatera bicolorata
(Hufnagel, 1766)
Synonyms
  • Phalaena bicolorata
  • Aetheria bicolorata
  • Noctua serena
  • Noctua hieracii
  • Polia leuconota
  • Phalaena par
  • Hecatera intermedia
  • Noctua monticola
  • Mamestra serena var. obscura

The broad-barred white (Hecatera bicolorata) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe and is also found in Turkey, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Kirghizia, Tajikistan, western Siberia and China.

Description

This is a fairly small (wingspan 28–35 mm) distinctive species. The white or sometimes bluish grey forewings are marked with a broad dark olive fuscous median band. The claviform stigma is black-edged; upper stigmata are pale grey with dark centres. The base and outer area of forewing and the head and thorax are pure white. The hindwings are whitish grey with veins and marginal border fuscous. The hindwings are darker in the female.

This species flies at night from June to August[lower-alpha 1] and is attracted to light and various flowers.

The larva is brown or green with darker diamonds along the back. It feeds on the flowers and buds of various yellow-flowered Asteraceae such as hawksbeards, hawkweeds and sow thistles.[1] The species overwinters as a pupa.

Notes

  1. ↑ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References

  1. ↑ "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".
  • Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
  • Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984


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