Silurian

Eriopygodes imbecilla

Photo © Svyatoslav Knyazev

Silurian

Eriopygodes imbecilla

Photo © Svyatoslav Knyazev



Eriopygodes imbecilla, the Silurian, is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794.

Distribution

This species is present in most of Europe.

Habitat

This species commonly lives on gullies and hollows in high moorland areas with host plants.

Description

The wingspan is 24–27 mm. The colour of these small moths may vary from tawny to reddish brown. Forewings usually show a pale kidney mark and two wavy cross lines, but often these markings are quite indistinct. Usually females are darker or chocolate brown and smaller than the males. The rear wings are often pale greyish. Seitz describes it E. imbecilla F. (= aliena male Hbn., alpina female Hbn., disparilis O., nexa Dup.) Forewing rufous ochreous, sometimes grey-tinged, in the male, rufous brown in the female; veins finely brownish; inner and outer lines brown; submarginal obscure, the marginal area beyond it generally darker; reniform stigma externally whitish, preceded by a brownish median shade ; hindwing greyish fuscous : fringe rufous. — Larva dirty grey, with a few yellowish grey hairs; dorsal line fine, whitish, traversing a series of black or brown oval blotches : lateral stripes dark grey, with a pale line at middle ; spiracles black , each with a shining black point above it; head blackish, with 3 white lines.

Biology

Adults fly from June to July. Larvae are polyphagous on low plants, mainly feeding on bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile), Knautia and Lamium.

Source: Wikipedia

Foodplants

The primary larval foodplants are Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile).