Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Superfamily Noctuoidea Scientific name Eilema complana | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Family Erebidae Rank Species | |
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Similar Katha depressa, Eilema, Manulea lurideola, Eilema caniola, Collita griseola | ||
Manulea complana, the scarce footman, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region.
Contents
Technical description and variation
The wingspan is 28–35 mm. Very like Eilema morosinum (Herrich-Schäffer, [1847]) but the forewing not so elongate, and the angles not so accentuated, the costal streak broader and brighter yellow, the hindwing duller, not so transparent; the apex of the abdomen brighter yellow. On the underside the disc is very blackish iron grey, and contrasts vividly with the orange-yellow costa and the broad pale yellow marginal area. Hindwing beneath pale yellow, the costa deeper yellow; below costa a grey streak from the base.
Biology
The moth flies from June to August depending on the location.
Larva blackish dorsally, with narrow lighter lines; subdorsal lines composed of small reddish yellow and white spots; lateral line interrupted, reddish yellow. The larvae feed on lichen and mosses, but also leaves of low growing plants on occasion.