Colour Variations

Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa.  Noctuidae.   Hayes, August 2014.

Just one photo today, with two specimens of the same species, the Square-spot Rustic.  This shows something of its variability.  If you look carefully, you can see that the main features of the markings, spots and cross-lines are all in the same places, but the colours are quite different.  There are other possible variations, too.

The lower wing spot typical of the Noctuid family, which some like to call the reniform stigma but is usually known by the English translation of that name, the kidney-mark, has its sides cut off, leaving it looking rectangular.  I suppose it would have been too much trouble to call it a Rectangular-spot Rustic.

Lunar Underwing, Omphaloscelis lunosa.  Noctuidae.  Hayes, September 2014.

Here's another Noctuid species that shows a very similar sort of colour variation - Lunar Underwing.   Again, the lines and markings are in the same places, though the lines are less easy to see on the light brown specimen.  This one flies a few weeks later than the Square-spot Rustic.

All four of these specimens were in my garden light trap.