Species Details

ABH: 73.224

BF: 2247

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Xyleninae

Taxon: Griposia aprilina

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Merveille du Jour

Account: Common in broad-leaved woodland, especially mature oak woods, parks, hedgerows and gardens throughout the British Isles; still widespread and common in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 42-52 mm. Similar in general appearance to Scarce Merveille du Jour Moma alpium, but flies much later in the year, and is less heavily marked with black. Larva feeds on flowers and leaves of Oak, over-wintering as an egg; in spring the larvae can be found by day, wedged into crevices in the bark of old oak trees.

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: 42 — 52 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 5 Sep (1973) — 17 Nov (2022)

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

Foodplant:

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

Status: Least Concern (LC)

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/griposia-aprilina/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 451

Individuals: 374

Earliest Year: 1833

Latest Year: 2025

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