Black-spot Chestnut
Common NameBlack-spot Chestnut
Scientific NameConistra rubiginea
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyXyleninae
Wingspan (mm)34
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsbrown, black
HabitatWoodlands, hedgerows, gardens, parks
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, parts of Asia Minor
Host Plantsoak, sallow, hawthorn, blackthorn, various fruit trees
Flight PeriodOctober to April (hibernates as adult)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in spring, larvae feed on deciduous trees and shrubs through late spring and early summer, then pupate in the soil. Adults emerge in autumn, feed, and then hibernate through winter, re-emerging in early spring to mate and lay eggs.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its reddish-brown to grey-brown mottled forewings and the two distinct black stigmata (a kidney-shaped reniform and a rounder orbicular spot). The overall resting posture with wings held flat is also characteristic.
Description
A medium-sized moth with mottled reddish-brown forewings, characterized by two prominent black spots (reniform and orbicular stigmata) and a dark subterminal line. Its cryptic coloration provides excellent camouflage against tree bark.
