Xestia stigmatica
| Xestia stigmatica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Xestia |
| Species: | X. stigmatica |
| Binomial name | |
| Xestia stigmatica (Hübner, [1813]) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Phalaena (Noctua) rhomboidea auct. (non Esper, 1790: misidentification) | |
Xestia stigmatica, the square-spotted clay, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in most of Europe, Transcaucasia, Caucasus, Kazakhstan, northern Turkey and northern Iran.
The wingspan is 37–44 mm. Distinguished from other Xestia species by the broad forewing coloured greyish dark brown (sometimes purple tinted) and the irregular broad dark band between the wavy line and the outer cross line.
Adults are on wing from in August.
The larvae feed on a variety of plants such as Rubus fruticosus, Urtica dioica, Prunus spinosa, Primula and Betula.