Dot Moth
Common NameDot Moth
Scientific NameMelanchra persicariae
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyNoctuinae
Wingspan (mm)40
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsdark brown, black, white
HabitatGardens, woodlands, hedgerows, waste ground, and various cultivated areas.
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, and temperate Asia.
Host Plantsdock, knotgrass, willow, honeysuckle, various herbaceous plants and shrubs
Flight PeriodJune to September
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in batches on host plants. Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on a wide variety of plants, and pupation occurs in the soil, where the moth overwinters as a pupa.
Identification TipsLook for the distinctive dark, mottled forewings with two prominent, often white or pale-ringed, kidney-shaped and circular spots. The hindwings are typically greyish-brown.
Description
A medium-sized moth with dark, mottled forewings, typically dark brown to black, featuring two prominent, contrasting white or pale-ringed kidney-shaped (reniform) and circular (orbicular) spots.
