Dusky Brocade

Dusky Brocade
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Noctuidae
Tribe:	Apameini
Genus:	Apamea
Species:	A. remissa
Binomial name
Apamea remissa Hübner, 1809

The Dusky Brocade (Apamea remissa) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe. It has also been reported from Alaska by Kononenko et al. in 1989.

Some authors consider Apamea indocilis to be a subspecies of Apamea remissa.

This species has a wingspan of 36-42 mm. Well marked individuals are fairly distinctive but there are many obscurely marked forms which can be difficult to separate from other species. The typical form has pale greyish-brown forewings with dark markings including a large blackish mark near the dorsum and two spots at the termen. The hindwings are greyish with darker venation. This moth flies at night in June and July ^[1] and is attracted to light, sugar and nectar-rich flowers.

The larva feeds on various grasses including Calamagrostis, Deschampsia, Festuca, Phalaris and Secale (Rye). This species overwinters as a larva, feeding during mild weather.

1. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References

• Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
• Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984