Species Details

ABH: 73.208

BF: 2242

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Xyleninae

Taxon: Xylena exsoleta

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Sword-grass

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) on moorland, rough grassland and upland woodland, generally restricted to uplands in parts of Scotland, Shetland and northern England, rare elsewhere, a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan There is sometimes a very dark median subdorsal patch which can cause confusion with Red Sword-grass X. vetusta. Larva feeds on Creeping Thistle, Musk Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creeping Cinquefoil, Common Restharrow, Groundsel, Dock and Hop.

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: 58 — 68 mm

Surrey Flight Period: —

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

Foodplant: Gramineae, Polyphagous.

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

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP: 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/xylena-exsoleta/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 4

Individuals: 3

Earliest Year: 1833

Latest Year: 1929

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