Species Details

ABH: 73.031

BF: 2465

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Aediinae

Taxon: Tyta luctuosa

Authority: ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Vernacular: Four-spotted

Account: Nationally scarce (Na) in dry open areas, south-facing hillsides, unimproved grassland, embankments and waste ground in southern England, a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Restricted nowadays to a handful of locations, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, at Portland, Dorset and at single sites in Lincolnshire, Essex, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. Occasional migrants turn up some distance from know breeding sites, these are presumed to have originated from mainland Europe Larva feeds on Field Bindweed, over-wintering as a pupa.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 25 — 29 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 13 May (1950) — 15 Aug (1975)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Convolvulus arvensis (Field Bindweed).

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Near Threatened (NT)

UK BAP: BAP

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/tyta-luctuosa/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 37

Individuals: 21

Earliest Year: 1887

Latest Year: 1984

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