Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Noctuidae Scientific name Agrotis clavis | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Agrotis Rank Species | |
Similar Heart and dart, Double square‑spot, Agrotis puta, Agrotis cinerea, Ingrailed clay | ||
The heart and club (Agrotis clavis) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout the Palearctic ecozone.
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The common name of this species refers to the supposed shapes of the bold dark stigmata on the usually pale forewings. In this species all the stigmata have a rounded shape, contrasting with the elongated claviform stigmata of the much commoner heart and dart. The hindwings are grey, usually much darker than in heart and dart and turnip moth. The wingspan is 35–40 mm. The moth flies at night in June and July [1] and is attracted to light and sugar.
The larva feeds on a variety of herbaceous plants (see list below). The young larva feeds on the leaves of the food plant, later feeding on the roots. It overwinters as a full-grown larva in a cavity in the soil before pupating in the spring.
- ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.
Recorded host plants
Full list at reference.