Noctuidae

73.122 Fisher's Estuarine Moth Gortyna borelii lunata Freyer, 1839

RDB Protected Species

Similar species: Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago is smaller (16 to 19mm), has a yellow-orange oval, kidney mark and tooth on the inner central cross-line (rather than white) and the general colouring is pale orange with red-brown markings rather than gold with grey-brown markings.

Forewing: 21 to 24mm

Habitats: Open marshy grassland, dyke-banks and a steep, grassy, herbaceous embankment.

Habits: The moth emerges about an hour after sunset and rests upside down on the foodplant. It comes to light just before midnight.

Foodplant: The larva feeds in the stems and root of Hog's Fennel. In captivity it will accept Carrot and Celeriac. It pupates in a bored chamber in the rootstock which opens out into the soil.