Common rustic
Common NameCommon rustic
Scientific NameMesapamea secalis
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyHadeninae
Wingspan (mm)30
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, dark brown, black, white
HabitatGrasslands, meadows, hedgerows, gardens, woodland edges
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, temperate Asia
Host Plantsvarious grasses (e.g., Poa, Dactylis, Festuca, Lolium)
Flight PeriodJune to September
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed on the stems and roots of various grasses, overwintering as larvae before pupating in the soil.
Identification TipsLook for the variable brown and dark brown forewings with distinct, often pale-ringed reniform and orbicular stigmata, and a noticeable dark streak running from the base to the reniform stigma.
Description
A medium-sized moth with highly variable, cryptic brown forewings, often featuring prominent pale-ringed stigmata and a dark central streak.
