Lepidoptera2425 species

Family Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths (Noctuidae)

Noctuidae is a family in the order Lepidoptera. Browse 2,425 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Noctuidae (2,425)

Xestia infimatis - Hodges#10972

Xestia infimatis

Identification: The most heavily streaked and brownest of vernilis species group; forewing varies from pale buff with dark brown streaking to gray with extensive blackish-gray streaking; hindwing varies from dirty white to dark smoky brown with darke

Xestia laxa - Hodges#10963.1

Xestia laxa

Identification: Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD).

Xestia lupa - Hodges#10963

Xestia lupa

Identification: Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD).

Xestia mixta - Hodges#10959.1

Xestia mixta

Identification: Forewings are grey-black crossed with white sawtooth shaped basal, antemedian and postmedian lines. Reniform and orbicular spots are white, but filled or mostly filled with the darker scales of the ground color so they appear as white

Xestia mustelina - Hodges#10971

Xestia mustelina

Identification: The forewing is pale pinkish gray to gray with large discal spots outlined in black. Hindwings are pale smoky brown. ,

Norman's Dart - Hodges#10943

Xestia normanianus

Identification: forewing ground color light to medium gray or brown; black patches above orbicular spot, between reniform and orbicular spots, and along costa near apex; orbicular spot same color as ground color, oblique, oblong, and extending to cos

Rosy Dart - Hodges#10947

Xestia oblata

Identification: forewing reddish or rusty orange with dark gray to black median area; AM and PM lines white or pale gray, edged with black; orbicular and reniform spots large, orangish with thin black outline; orbicular spot oblique; inner margin of

Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011

Xestia plebeia

Identification: Adult: forewing light grayish-brown with dark gray reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots forming a tight dark cluster -- a prominent feature; AM and PM lines double, broken or indistinct; subterminal line has small dark patch at co

Praevia Dart - Hodges#10968.1

Xestia praevia

Identification: Adult: forewing medium brown with slightly paler double AM and PM lines, and slightly darker diffuse ST line; reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots slightly paler than ground color; conspicuous triangular black spot basal to orbicu

Xestia scropulana - Hodges#10938

Xestia scropulana

Identification: Morrison (1874) original description as Agrotis scropulana is available in the print references.

Six-striped Rustic

Xestia sexstrigata

Wingspan 36-38 mm. Characterised by the dark veins, fine, dark cross lines and the pale dark lined oval. Mainly damp woodlands and marshy habitats. The single generation flies in July and August, when the adults are attracted to both sugar and light.

Smith's Dart - Hodges#10944

Xestia smithii

Identification: forewing varies from pinkish to reddish or grayish-brown, with slightly darker shading in median area and beyond PM line; small black blotch on costa near apex is sharpest dark marking; lines double, grayish, faint hindwing grayish-br

Xestia speciosa - Hodges#10959

Xestia speciosa

Identification: Description: ( 6 ) Determined by Lars Crabo .

Square-spotted Clay

Xestia stigmatica

Inhabiting deciduous woodland with scattered undergrowth. The caterpillar has only recently been found in Britain for the first time in the wild. The actual foodplants are not yet fully understood, but are probably a variety of plants such as bramble

Xestia tecta - Hodges#10936

Xestia tecta

Identification: Adult : FW ground color is rich red-brown, strikingly patterned with light gray and ochre scales, producing lighter areas that appear to be multicolored ● The median area appears darker and redder than the rest of the wing ● Transve

Double Square-spot

Xestia triangulum

Wingspan 36-46 mm. Distinctively marked species with unusually square markings on the wings. The single generation flies in June and July and visits light and sugar, as well as certain flowers. The polyphagous caterpillars hibernate when quite small

Xestia verniloides - Hodges#10973.1

Xestia verniloides

Identification: Xestia verniloides Lafontaine is described in MONA Fascicle 27.3. Determined by Lars Crabo.

Square-spot Rustic

Xestia xanthographa

Wingspan 32-35 mm. A drab brown moth that gets its name from the square spot on each wing. Found in woodland edges, waste ground and suburban habitats. A frequent visitor to the light-trap, it flies in August and September. The nocturnal caterpillars

Gray Swordgrass - Hodges#9876

Xylena cineritia

Identification: Adult: forewing lower half dark bluish-gray; upper half light gray basally; light pinkish-yellow streak beyond reniform spot; no basal dash; reniform spot strongly curved, pale-centered with dark outline; orbicular spot black, oval; s

Red Sword-grass

Xylena vetusta

Wingspan 50 to 57 mm. A large species, which rests with the wings furled tightly around the abdomen, tapering to a point. Damp woodland, mountain moorland and marshy places. The flight period is September and October, after which it hibernates, appea

Early Grey

Xylocampa areola

Wingspan 32-40 mm. Forewing ash grey, rough in texture and marbled with blackish grey. Oval and kidney mark are pale and there is an additional oval joined to the first, and also to the kidney mark in most cases. Ground colour varies with some exampl

Chang Borer Moth - Hodges#9433

Xylomoia chagnoni

Identification: Barnes & McDunnough original description is available online in the print references below.

Acadian Sallow - Hodges#9980

Xylotype arcadia

Identification: Ash gray FW is boldly marked with scalloped white AM & PM that converge toward inner margin. Large pale orbicular and reniform spots are outlined white. Black dashes in inner margin and anal angle are conspicuous. A specimen collected

Elder Moth - Hodges#9816

Zotheca tranquilla

Identification: Adult: forewing pale yellowish with light green median band and thin wavy basal and postmedial lines; hindwing white Larva: body with middorsal line of yellow circles bordered in black; subdorsal band pale purple; lateral-ventral area