# Lunar Underwing

*Agrochola lunosa*

The 'lunar' in its name refers to the dark, crescent-shaped mark on its hindwing, which resembles a crescent moon.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Noctuidae › Agrochola
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Grasslands, lawns, pastures, heathlands, and open woodlands.
- **Diet:** Larvae feed on various grasses (Poaceae); adults feed on nectar, overripe berries, and ivy blossoms.
- **Range:** Western Europe, British Isles, North Africa
- **Size:** Wingspan of 32-38 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (mostly as egg and larva; adults live for 3-4 weeks)
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Light pollution disrupting nocturnal behavior, habitat loss from intensive agriculture, and pesticide use.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless. If one flies into your home, attract it to an outdoor light or gently trap it in a cup and release it outside. Safe to handle gently, though touching their wings can brush off their protective scales.

## About

The lunar underwing ( Omphaloscelis lunosa ) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It has a scattered distribution in western Europe including Spain, Scandinavia and Algeria.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ad071860-2f91-40b5-b1a5-b1fda7dd4d33
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/461786
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrochola lunosa
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/23283528/medium.jpg (Andreas Manz, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.