''Eugraphe sigma'' 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 from most of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

(except

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, the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...

and

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) to the

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Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

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and

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Description

The length of the forewings is 17–20 mm.Warren states ''R. sigma'' Schiff. (= ''characterea'' Esp., ''ditrapezium'' Esp. nec Schiff., ''signum'' Fab., ''umbra'' View.) (10 a). Forewing black brown or deep brown, with a faint vinous tinge; costal area diffusely brownish-ochreous;the lines ochreous; cell dark brown; upper stigmata large, grey with black edges; claviform small, blackish;hind-wing dark fuscous. A central European species found in France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria;also in Armenia, Siberia and Amurland. Larva reddish yellow, with dorsal and lateral lines white; a dark oblique bar on each segment with a white dot above it; feeds on low plants. - The form ''nubila'' Esp. has the costal and apical areas of forewing dull woodcolour.

Subspecies

*''Eugraphe sigma sigma'' *''Eugraphe sigma melancholina'' Bryk, 1949 (Korea) *''Eugraphe sigma anthracina'' Boursin, 1954

Biology

Adults are on wing from June to July in one generation per year.Vlindernet
/ref> The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including ''

Lamium album ''Lamium album'', commonly called white nettle or white dead-nettle, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native throughout Europe and Asia, growing in a variety of habitats from open grassland to woodland, generally on moist, fert ...

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Viburnum lantana ''Viburnum lantana'', the wayfarer or wayfaring tree, is a species of ''Viburnum'', native to central, southern and western Europe (north to Yorkshire in England), northwest Africa, and southwestern Asia.Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). ''Flo ...

'', ''

Laburnum anagyroides ''Laburnum anagyroides'' ( syn. ''Cytisus laburnum''), the common laburnum, golden chain or golden rain, is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Faboideae, and genus ''Laburnum''. '' Laburnum alpinum'' is closely related. It is native t ...

'', ''

Prunus spinosa ''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania, ...

'', ''

Lonicera Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae, native to northern latitudes in North America and Eurasia. Approximately 180 species of honeysuckle have been identified in both contin ...

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Ligustrum A privet is a flowering plant in the genus ''Ligustrum''. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes forming small or medium-sized trees, native to Europe, north Africa, Asia, many introduced and nat ...

'' species. Young larvae live in the top parts of the host plant. The species overwinters in the larval stage. After overwintering, the larvae hide during the day and feed on the terminal part of the twigs during the night. Pupation takes place in the ground.

References

Noctuinae Moths described in 1775 Moths of Japan Moths of Europe Taxa named by Ignaz Schiffermüller {{Noctuinae-stub