''Mniotype satura'', the beautiful arches, is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

of the family

Noctuidae The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...

. It is found in the

Palearctic realm The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

Technical description and variation

''C. satura'' Schiff. (= ''porphyrea'' Esp.) (32 b). Shorter- and broader-winged than ''melanodonta'' 'Mniotype melanodonta'' (Hampson, 1906)">Mniotype_melanodonta.html" ;"title="'Mniotype melanodonta">'Mniotype melanodonta'' (Hampson, 1906). Forewing dull reddish throughout, more or less hidden by the purplish black suffusion; the upper stigmata, the basal patch, the submarginal area, and the subterminal line all dull reddish; the wedge-shaped marks before the last much shorter and less conspicuous; otherwise as in ''melanodonta''; hindwing dark brownish-fuscous, with cellspot and slight outer line marked; a pale terminal streak at anal angle. Larva reddish brown, darker along dorsum; dorsal line interrupted and obscure; spiracular yellowish green; an obscure subdorsal row of oblique grey streaks.William Warren (entomologist)">Warren. W. in Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 ''Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde'', Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914 The wingspan is 40–50 mm.

Biology

The moth flies from July to October depending on the location. The larvae feed on various woody plants and deciduous trees.

References

External links

Beautiful Arches at UKmothsLepiforum.deVlindernet.nl
Cuculliinae Palearctic Lepidoptera Taxa named by Michael Denis Taxa named by Ignaz Schiffermüller {{Cuculliinae-stub