Chamomile Shark

Cucullia chamomillae

This record describes Cucullia chamomillae (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Wingspan 40 to 42 mm. Very similar to The Shark ( C. umbratica ), it can be told apart by the fringe of the hindwing, which has a darker central line running through the centre, forming a triple-banded effect. In umbratica , the fringe is all pale with just a single darker line on the inner edge. Found on roadside verges, waste ground and commons. The caterpillars feed on various Compositae , including Chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile ). It is is found In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as local.throughout England, Wales and into southern Scotland but is rarer further north. Local in Ireland.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Cucullia

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Habitat

Found on roadside verges, waste ground and commons.

Seasonal Activity

April to June.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

The caterpillars feed on various

Additional species information

Recorded status

It is is found In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as local.throughout England, Wales and into southern Scotland but is rarer further north. Local in Ireland.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cucullia chamomillae. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.

Ecological role of the group

Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.

Economic and practical significance of the group

Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.

Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

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