The Delicate
Common NameThe Delicate
Scientific NameMythimna vitellina
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyHadeninae
Wingspan (mm)36
Primary Colorspale yellow, light brown
HabitatGrasslands, open woodlands, coastal areas, gardens
Geographic RangeSouthern Europe, North Africa, Middle East; migrant to Central and Northern Europe
Host Plantsvarious grasses (e.g., Poa, Festuca, Dactylis)
Flight PeriodMay to November (multiple broods, peak in late summer/autumn)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are greenish-brown, feeding on various grasses at night. Pupation occurs in a cocoon underground. The species is multivoltine, producing multiple generations per year.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its pale, straw-yellow forewings with a distinctive fine brown reticulated pattern and small, often indistinct, dark stigmata. Hindwings are uniformly pale and unmarked.
Description
A pale yellow to straw-colored moth with delicate, fine brown reticulated markings across the forewings and a few small dark spots. The hindwings are plain and paler.
