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Noctuidae

Family of moths

  • 7 min read
  • 5 chapters
Noctua pronuba, Large Yellow Underwing, Minera, North Wales, July 2017
janet graham · CC BY 2.0

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Description

Adult: Most noctuid adults have wings with a variety of shades of brown, grey, and other varied shades and colours but some subfamilies, such as Acronictinae and Agaristinae, are very brightly coloured, especially those from tropical regions (e.g. Baorisa hieroglyphica). They are characterised by a structure in the metathorax called the nodular sclerite or epaulette, which separates the tympanum and the conjunctiva in the tympanal organ. It functions to keep parasites (Acari) out of the tympanal cavity. Another characteristic in this group is trifine hindwing venation, by reduction or absence of the second medial vein (M2).

Markings present on the wings of noctuid adults can be helpful in distinguishing species. From the basal location to the outer edge (proximal to distal) on the forewing, there is a horizontally oriented claviform (club-shaped) stigma located posterior to a discal (round) stigma. These are followed distally by a reniform (kidney-shaped) stigma, whose exact shape may vary, but is found on the distal edge of the forewing's cell. It is often not possible to discern all of the stigmata on all specimens or species. Crossbands or crosslines may be present, oriented longitudinally from the leading to the trailing edge of the wing.

Larva: Commonly green or brown; some species present bright colours, such as the camphorweed cucullia moth (Cucullia alfarata). Most are pudgy and smooth with rounded short heads and few setae, but there are some exceptions in some subfamilies (e.g. Acronictinae and Pantheinae).

The pupae range from shiny brown to dark brown. When they newly pupate they are bright brownish orange, but after a few days start to get darker.

The eggs vary in colour, but all have a spherical shape.

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Monotypic taxonTaxonomic group with only one subordinate taxonSpecies descriptionFormal description of a discovered speciesParaphylyType of taxonomic groupIUCN Red ListInventory of the global conservation status of biological speciesSubtropicsGeographic and climate zoneCommon nameName generally used for a taxon, group of taxa or organism(s)