Moth Photographers Group – Agrochola lunosa

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

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Noctuidae

932615.2 – 9956.1 Agrochola lunosa (Haworth, 1809)

The Lunar Underwing

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Distribution:	MD and VA in the Washington D.C. area.
Larva and Host Plants:	Host familiy: Poaceae. Host genera: Poa. Notes: grasses (Hampson 1906b). (Shropshire & Douglas 2025)
Genitalia:	See Moth Dissection UK
Similar Species:	Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy:	lunosa (Haworth, 1809) (Noctua) - MONA 1983: [NEW]; TL: Norfolk, England. subjecta (Duponchel, 1836) (Orthosia)
Taxonomic Notes:	Agrochola lunosa (Haworth, [1809]), introduced from Europe to the Northeast, is recognized within the North American fauna north of Mexico by Schmidt, Lafontaine & Troubridge (2018), ZooKeys, 788: 249. Formerly listed in the genus Agrochola, n. syn. of Omphaloscelis in Fibiger et al. (2010).

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced.
Fibiger, M., L. Ronkay, J.L. Yela & A.Zilli, 2010. Rivulinae - Euteliinae, and Micronoctuidae and Supplement to Volume 1-11. Noctuidae Europaeae, 12: 1-451.
Haworth, A.H., 1803-1828. Lepidoptera Britannica, 2: 230.
Schmidt, B.C., J.D. Lafontaine & J.T. Troubridge, 2018. Additions and corrections to the check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America north of Mexico IV. ZooKeys, 788: 241-252.
Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online)
Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Species Page at Moth Dissection UK
Species Page at iNaturalist

LG – (cc) CBG Photog. Grp. (USNM)

Moth Photographers Group at the Mississippi Entomological Museum at the Mississippi State University

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