Noctuidae

73.022 Gold Spot Plusia festucae (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common

Similar species: Lempke's Gold Spot Plusia putnami gracilis has the silvery-white marking adjacent to the three golden blotches at the wing-tip ending bluntly at the outer central cross-line.

Forewing: 14 to 19mm

Habitats: Marshes, fens, bogs, upland grassland, moorland, heathland, ditch margins, river-banks, damp woodland rides and gardens.

Habits: The moth flies from dusk when it nectars at the flowers of Water Mint and other species. It later comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on Tufted Sedge, Glaucous Sedge and other sedges. Also Flag Iris, Branched Bur-reed, Water Plantain and low growing plants. In captivity it has been reared on grasses, Grey Willow and Common Nettle. It pupates attached vertically between leaves or stems of the foodplant.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on Common Reed, Reedmace, plantains and fescues.