Male. Taken at Aston, Oxon., on May 10th 2024. (© David Hastings)
(1/250th sec at f11)

Female. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on August 12th 2020. (© David Hastings)
(1/250th sec at f10)

Description

Family: Noctuidae (ABH : 73.325)

Wing span: 24 - 32mm

A short, stubby moth. It has a pale oval elongated to the shape of a weaving shuttle, pointed at both ends. The male has a pale greyish-brown forewing with a contrasting dark brown kidney mark, and a dark area at the base. The female has a darker and more uniformly coloured forewing, but still has the shuttle mark.

It is well distributed throughout most of southern Britain, including lowland parts of Wales. It has spread northwards to Cumbria and Northumberland, and is reported from eastern coastal counties in Scotland.

It occupies a wide range of open habitats, including gardens, farmland, grassland, heathland, wetlands and open woodland.

There are at least two over-lapping generations from April to late October. The larva is the over-wintering stage.

Larvae probably eat a range of herbaceous plants.

It comes to light and sugar, and feeds at flowers at night.

Earliest UK sighting: 30th April ; Latest UK sighting: 13th October

Sightings