Dark Sword-grass

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Dark Sword-grass

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Agrotis
Species: A. ipsilon
Binomial name
Agrotis ipsilon
(Hufnagel, 1766)

The Dark Sword-grass or Black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon [1]) is a small noctuid Moth found worldwide.

Contents

[edit] Description

The Dark Sword-grass has pale brown forewings with dark brown and black markings and translucent hindwings, greyish white with brown venation. The hindwings have a thin dark line along the margins of the hindwings.

The moth gets its specific name from black markings on the forewings shaped like a Y and resembling the greek letter 'ipsilon'.

The moth has a wingspan of 4 to 5.5 cms.[1]

[edit] Range

The moth is found throughout the world.[1]

[edit] Life Cycle

The caterpillar of the Dark Sword-grass is smooth and ranges from purplish to brown in colour and is patterned with grey lines and spots.[1]

[edit] Host plants

The moth caterpillar feeds on Potato (Solanum), Tobacco (Nicotiana), Cotton (Gossypium) and Cabbage (Brassica).[1]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Carter, David. Butterflies and Moths, Dorling Kindersley, pg 252

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Carter, David - Butterflies and Moths (Dorling Kindersley Handbooks), Dorling Kindersley Ltd. London, 1992 ISBN 0 7513 2707 7.

[edit] External links