Noctua (moth)

Noctua
Noctua janthe
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Tribe: Noctuini
Genus: Noctua
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Phalaena pronuba
Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
  • Euschesis Hübner, 1821
  • Lampra Hübner
  • Noctuella Rafinesque, 1815
  • Nyctemia Rafinesque, 1815
  • Triphaena Ochsenheimer, 1816
  • Tryphaena Meigen, 1831
  • Xanthoptera Sodoffsky, 1837

Noctua (Latin for "little owl") is a genus of moths. They have dull, cryptic forewings and often very bright hindwings. These are hidden under the forewings when the moths rest, leading to their common name of yellow underwings. They are not particularly closely related to the "true" underwing moths (Catocala) though, apart from both being Noctuoidea (and in the traditional classification, Noctuidae). They are good fliers.