Species Details

ABH: 73.327

BF: 2091

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Noctuinae

Taxon: Agrotis ipsilon

Authority: (Hufnagel, 1766)

Vernacular: Dark Sword-grass

Account: Common immigrant from mainland Europe, appearing throughout the British Isles, in some years arriving in sufficient numbers to breed in small numbers Has a distinctive set of arrow-shaped darts, one pointing outwards from the reniform stigma, with two smaller ones facing inwards near the margin. Larva feeds on various herbaceous plants, but unable to over-winter in significant numbers.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 40 — 55 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 15 Feb (1958) — 12 Dec (1953)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Polyphagous.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Migrant

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/agrotis-ipsilon/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 596

Individuals: 134

Earliest Year: 1831

Latest Year: 2025

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