Agrotis porphyricollis

Agrotis porphyricollis Guenée, 1852
(one synonym : Graphiphora reclusa Walker, 1857)
NOCTUINAE , NOCTUIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

Agrotis porphyricollis
(Photo: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

This brown grub of a Caterpillar lives under the ground in daytime, emerging at night to feed. It is a pest in Tasmania on:

Sugar Beet ( Beta vulgaris, CHENOPODIACEAE ), and

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum, SOLANACEAE ).

It grows to a length of about 3 cms.

(Photo: courtesy of Jenny Holmes, Victoria)

The adult moths are fawn with several dark spots on the forewings. Underneath, they have a large dark spot at the apex of each wing which is more prominent under the hindwings. The moths have a wingspan of about 3 cms.

(Specimen: courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney)

The species has been found in

New South Wales,

Australian Capital Territory,

Illustration number 9, in Plate LX of Hampson's Noctuidae of the British Museum, 1903-1913.
(Courtesy of Joe Kunkel, University of Massachusetts)

(listed as Euxoa reclusa)
Illustration number 15, in Plate LXVII of Hampson's Noctuidae of the British Museum, 1903-1913.
(Courtesy of Joe Kunkel, University of Massachusetts)