The Wormwood

Cucullia absinthii

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

Identification and Appearance

Wingspan 32 to 40 mm. Like other members of the Cuculliinae , when at rest they have an accentuated posture with a forward-projecting tuft of hair on the thorax. Occupying waste ground, quarries, sea-cliffs and similar habitats. The larvae eat the flowers and seeds of Wormwood or Mugwort. A rather local species, occurring in scattered locations throughout England and Wales. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B. No additional images available for this species.

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

Occupying waste ground, quarries, sea-cliffs and similar habitats.

Seasonal Activity

The adults are on the wing in July.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

The larvae eat the flowers and seeds of Wormwood or Mugwort.

Additional species information

Recorded status

A rather local species, occurring in scattered locations throughout England and Wales. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cucullia absinthii. 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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