The Sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
This record describes Cirrhia icteritia (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 27-35 mm. It is quite variable, with the relatively frequent ab. flavescens having the darker markings almost absent. Occupying damp woodland, heathland and marshy places. Like many of its congeners, it flies in the Autumn, in September and October and is a frequent visitor to both sugar and light. Again, like similar species, the larvae feed at first on Willow catkins, and then later on herbaceous plants. A common species in most of Britain. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Noctuidae
- Genus
- Cirrhia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Occupying damp woodland, heathland and marshy places.
Seasonal Activity
Like many of its congeners, it flies in the Autumn, in September and October and is a frequent visitor to both sugar and light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Again, like similar species, the larvae feed at first on Willow catkins, and then later on herbaceous plants.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A common species in most of Britain. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cirrhia icteritia. 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.
Photos of The Sallow (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About The Sallow
What is The Sallow?
The Sallow (Cirrhia icteritia) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is The Sallow found?
Habitat: Occupying damp woodland, heathland and marshy places.
When is The Sallow active?
The Sallow: seasonal activity - Like many of its congeners, it flies in the Autumn, in September and October and is a frequent visitor to both sugar and light..
What is the life cycle of a The Sallow?
Again, like similar species, the larvae feed at first on Willow catkins, and then later on herbaceous plants.