Apamea unanimis (Hubner, 1813)

Description: Wingspan 30-38 mm. Forewings variable in colour ranging from light to darkish brown. There is a small black basal streak and a series of dark marks along the costa. There are also four small white marks along the costal edge near the apex of the forewing and a small white wavy line in the postmedian area. Hindwings light fuscous, darker towards the terminal border with a discal spot.

Key Identification Features:

• Black basal streak
• Small white marks along the costa Small wavy line on forewing

Sets:

Flight Period: End of May to late July.

Status: Widely distributed in the south east and commonly encountered in the wetter sites in the Lough Neagh basin and parts of north Down. Elsewhere, its distribution is more sporadic. There have been recent records from Monmurray and Crom, Fermanagh, Rehaghy, Tyrone and the Glenshesk Bridge area of Antrim. It is apparently uncommon in the rest of Ireland with records only from Louth, Westmeath and Dublin.

Ecology: This species inhabits the damper more open parts of woodland, Fens and some bogs. Adults come to light in small numbers and also visit the flowers of some grasses and rushes. The larvae feed from the end of July until late autumn on various grasses. It overwinters as a full grown larva.

World Distribution: Eurasiatic; in Europe it is widely distributed but local further north in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Bradley & Fletcher number: 2331 Agassiz number: 73.159

Additional information:

UK Moths account

Caterpillar: