David Element
Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images
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Moths 29 – Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Moths
BROAD-BORDERED
YELLOW UNDERWING MOTH Noctua fimbriata
·
Unfortunately, this female Broad-bordered Yellow
Underwing Noctua fimbriata (Noctuidae,
Noctuinae) was not showing the eponymous
feature that distinguishes it from several other moths with yellow underwings
when this photograph was taken. The exposure of the bright hindwings is
reserved for protection, flashing them at would be predators to confuse or
scare them away. This colour is also visible when the moth is in flight, as
indeed is the broad black border of the hindwings. However, the patterning of
the forewings is distinctive although the figure ‘8’ may be composed of two
separate circular markings, so identification should be relatively
straightforward. There is sexual dimorphism and males are generally darker,
with greater contrast between their rather beautiful markings. This female was
exhibiting the sort of damage to the scales of its thorax that might be
consistent with having crashed into an artificial light.
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