''Hadena albimacula'', the white spot, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

of the family

Noctuidae The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family (biology), family of moths. Taxonomically, they are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly ...

. It is found in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

Technical description and variation

The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the opposite wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingsp ...

is 30–38 mm. Forewing olive brown; the lines black, slightly picked out with white scales; claviform stigma of ground colour edged at end with black , followed by a quadrate white blotch ; orbicular round and white with slight grey centre ; reniform edged internally with white; both outlined with black; small white blotches beyond orbicular and between veins 2 and 3 at base; a whitish blotch at base of costa and a white costal spot above orbicular stigma; hindwing dark fuscous; basal half greyer, with darker veins. — Larva brownish ochreous; dorsal line fine, indistinct, marked by blackish spots which connect the subdorsal oblique stripes; lateral lines pale grey; spiracles white ringed with black. Warren. W. in Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 ''Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde'', Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914

Biology

The moth flies from May to August depending on the location. The larvae feed on

Silene ''Silene'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Containing nearly 900 species, it is the largest genus in the family. Common names include campion and catchfly. Many ''Silene'' species are widely distributed, particularl ...

species.

References

External links

White Spot at UKmoths
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1306170 Hadena Moths of Europe Moths described in 1792