Apamea lithoxylaea

Apamea lithoxylaea, the light arches, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe, the Caucasus, Armenia, Asia Minor and Turkey, and ranges east to the Altai Mountains.

This species has a wingspan of 43 to 50 mm. Forewing whitish ochreous, faintly washed with pale brown; veins brown before termen; inner and outer lines pale, brown-edged, more or less interrupted except on costa; the inner with sharp long teeth outwards between veins, the outer marked by a double row of brown vein dots; a broad diffuse brown median shade ending on submedian fold where it is margined distinctly with brown; submarginal line acutely dentate, preceded by olive brown wedgeshaped marks, and followed by darker brown dentate marks to margin, strongest on both folds; orbicular and reniform hardly marked, separated by the brown median shade; hindwing whitish ochreous,with the veins and cell spot brown; a diffuse brownish submarginal cloud. See also the very similar Apamea sublustris.

It flies at night from June to August and is attracted to light and sugar. It usually produces a single brood from June to mid-August, but it may have a second brood in September to November.

The larva is ochreous or greenish grey, with dark tubercles; head and thoracic plate black. Itfeeds on various grasses, especially the stems and roots.