73.344 Noctua orbona (Lunar Yellow Underwing)
ws: 38-45mm (MBGBI9), fw: 17-20mm (Waring & Townsend); late Jun-Sep; various grasses and herbaceous plants; NS-B in dry heath and open woodland, formerly widespread throughout GB but now largely confined to Breckland, Suffolk coast and S.Wiltshire.
Noctua orbona (Lunar Yellow Underwing) §2 female
ID: Very similar to N.comes (Lesser Yellow Underwing) from which it can be distinguished by the preapical subcostal black mark on the forewing - and a dark central crescent on the hindwing.
§1 Westleton, Suffolk; 03/09/2020; male; fw 15.8mm
§2 Middlewick ranges, Essex; 23/08/2023; female; fw 17.9mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Middlewick ranges, Essex; 23/08/2023; female; fw 17.9mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 13/09/2020 (§1), dissection images added 05/10/2020 | §2 added 24/12/2023
