Page 638 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Noctuidae
DISTRIBUTION Europe, including Portugal and northern Spain, southern
Scandinavia, and most of the Mediterranean; Asia Minor,
the Caucasus, and across central Asia to Korea and Japan
HABITAT Open, rough vegetation in damp habitats, such as meadows
and eld edges, woodland edges, and banks

HOST PLANTS Herbaceous plants, mainly orache (Atriplex spp.), goosefoot
(Chenopodium spp.), knot-grass (Polygonum spp.), and dock
(Rumex spp.)
NOTE Striped caterpillar that is distinguished by two yellow spots
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
1 ⁄ –2 in (40–50 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ –1⅞ in (43–48 mm)
TRACHEA ATRIPLICIS
ORACHE MOTH
636
(LINNAEUS, 1758)

The Orache Moth caterpillar hatches from a pale, domed, ribbed
egg and feeds on the leaves, in one generation. It develops
through all instars from July to September. When small, it rests
under a leaf of the food plant; at later instars, it hides close to the
ground during the day, emerging to feed at night. When fully
fed, the caterpillar forms a pupa in a cocoon in the ground, and
this stage overwinters.

Other noctuid caterpillars have markings that are broadly
similar to those of the Orache Moth larvae. They include
the Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) and Dog’s
Tooth (L. suasa), which can also be found on plants of the
Chenopodiaceae family in similar situations. However, despite
its wide range of coloration, the Orache Moth caterpillar is easily
distinguished by the pair of yellow spots situated dorsolaterally
near the tail end and the yellow spots at the sides near the head.
These pairs of spots are absent in Lacanobia species.

The Orache Moth caterpillar is green, greenish
gray, brown, or blackish, peppered with small,
white dots, most noticeable in the darker forms.
The head is usually brown. All color forms have
two bright yellow spots on the back near the tail
end. The caterpillar has a broad, yellow, whitish,
or pinkish stripe along each side, replaced by
yellow on the second and third segments. Actual size