Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Noctuidae Scientific name Xestia agathina | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Xestia Rank Species | |
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Similar Xestia castanea, Six‑striped rustic, Xestia ditrapezium, Autumnal rustic, Noctua interjecta | ||
Xestia agathina, the heath rustic, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in western and central Europe and Morocco.
Contents
Technical description and variation
The wingspan is 28–36 mm. Forewing greyish rufous; costal area paler for two-thirds, edged below at base by a fine dark streak; claviform stigma small and obscure; cell black brown; the two stigmata pale, orbicular variable, sometimes large, sometimes contracted to a white spot; hindwing dark grey; antennae of male serrate, with sessile fascicles of cilia. In the form hebridicola Stgr., from the Hebrides, the forewing becomes paler and loses the red tinge; in scopariae Mill, from France the red tinge is overpowered by black suffusion.
Biology
Adults are on wing from in September.
Larva green, with pale dark-edged lines, the spiracular broad and conspicuous. The larvae feed on Calluna species.