Species Details

ABH: 73.109

BF: 2303

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Xyleninae

Taxon: Thalpophila matura

Authority: (Hufnagel, 1766)

Vernacular: Straw Underwing

Account: Common on calcareous grassland, moorland, sand-dunes, woodland rides, gardens and parks throughout England and Wales, but mainly coastal in Scotland. Identification easy to confirm by examination of the hindwing, which can be seen by gently lifting up the forewing with forceps, and which is pale straw-coloured with fuscous border extending to one-quarter (MBGBI Vol 10). Larva feeds on various grasses, including Annual Meadow-grass, Mat-grass and Silver Hair-grass.

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: 38 — 46 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 24 Jun (1959) — 23 Sep (2015)

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

Foodplant: Gramineae.

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/thalpophila-matura/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 760

Individuals: 681

Earliest Year: 1903

Latest Year: 2025

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