Shark (moth)
Encyclopedia
The Shark is a moth
of the family Noctuidae
. It is distributed throughout Europe
, but has recently also been reported from North America, from the Magdalen Islands
in Canada.
This is a fairly large species (wingspan
52-59 mm) with long, narrow wings giving a 'streamlined' appearance. The forewings are grey with brown and black streaks. The hindwings are grey in the male, brown in the female. It flies at night in June and July and is attracted to light and a variety of flowers.
The larva
is grey or brown with black spots. It feeds mainly on sow thistles
and lettuces
but other food plants have been recorded (see list below). The species overwinters as a pupa
.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the family Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
. It is distributed throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, but has recently also been reported from North America, from the Magdalen Islands
Magdalen Islands
The Magdalen Islands form a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with a land area of . Though closer to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the islands form part of the Canadian province of Quebec....
in Canada.
This is a fairly large species (wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
52-59 mm) with long, narrow wings giving a 'streamlined' appearance. The forewings are grey with brown and black streaks. The hindwings are grey in the male, brown in the female. It flies at night in June and July and is attracted to light and a variety of flowers.
The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
is grey or brown with black spots. It feeds mainly on sow thistles
Sonchus
Sonchus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. Most of the species are annual herbs, a few are perennial, and some are even woody...
and lettuces
Lactuca
Lactuca, commonly known as lettuce, is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. The genus includes about 100 species, distributed worldwide, but mainly in temperate Eurasia....
but other food plants have been recorded (see list below). The species overwinters as a pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
.
- The flight season refers to the British IslesBritish IslesThe British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. This may vary in other parts of the range.
Recorded food plants
- GaliumGaliumGalium is a large genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the family Rubiaceae, with 617 known species occurring in the temperate zones of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Most species are known as bedstraw. G...
- Lady's Bedstraw - Hieracium - HawkweedHawkweedHawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
- Hypochaeris - CatsearCatsearCatsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
- LactucaLactucaLactuca, commonly known as lettuce, is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. The genus includes about 100 species, distributed worldwide, but mainly in temperate Eurasia....
- Lettuce - Leontodon - HawkbitHawkbitHawkbits are dandelion-like flowers in the family Asteraceae . Their English name derives from the mediæval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight...
- SileneSileneSilene is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Common names include campion and catchfly....
- Campion - SonchusSonchusSonchus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. Most of the species are annual herbs, a few are perennial, and some are even woody...
- Sow Thistle - Taraxacum - Dandelion