Pale Pinion
Common NamePale Pinion
Scientific NameCaradrina clavipalpis
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyNoctuinae
Wingspan (mm)30
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, grey, dark brown
HabitatGardens, parks, waste ground, urban areas, open woodlands
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, Asia, North America (introduced)
Host Plantsgrasses, plantain, dandelion, chickweed, knotgrass
Flight PeriodMay to October
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are polyphagous, feeding on various low-growing plants and sometimes detritus. They typically overwinter as larvae, pupating in the soil in spring.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its relatively small size, mottled brown/grey forewings with a somewhat streaky appearance, and often a pale reniform stigma. Can be confused with other *Caradrina* species, but *C. clavipalpis* is generally paler and less distinctly marked.
Description
A small, cryptically colored moth with mottled brownish-grey forewings, featuring indistinct darker stigmata and transverse lines, and pale hindwings.
