Species Details

ABH: 73.099

BF: 2384

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Xyleninae

Taxon: Hoplodrina ambigua

Authority: ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Vernacular: Vine's Rustic

Account: Following an expansion in range and numbers in recent decades, now common in grassland, heathland, woodland rides and gardens throughout southern England and Wales, north to southern Scotland. The main confusion species are Uncertain H. alsines and Rustic H. blanda, but less variable and often slightly smaller than these species, generally rather pale grey-brown, with relatively large orbicular and reniform stigmata, usually slightly darker than the ground colour, and usually distinctly white-edged. Larva feeds on various herbaceous plants, including Dandelion, Greater Plantain, Ribwort Plantain, Primrose and Prickly Lettuce.

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: 27 — 34 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 2 May (2007) — 13 Nov (2025)

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

Foodplant: Taraxacum officinale.

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: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/hoplodrina-ambigua/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1108

Individuals: 1486

Earliest Year: 1947

Latest Year: 2025

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