Noctuinae
The 62 British (43 Essex) species include the various 'yellow-underwings', 'darts', 'clays' and
'rustics'. The hairless eyes and the wings usually held flat over the back, hind edges overlapping, help
to distinguish members of this subfamily from the otherwise similar Hadeninae. Most of the larvae
feed on herbaceous plants at night, hiding below ground by day. Some, known as cutworms, are pests,
feeding on the roots of root-crops. Most species overwinter in the larval stage.
Euxoa tritici (Linn.) White-line Dart
p56. Resident, local; locally fairly common along the coast and estuaries, elsewhere generally
scarce or very scarce.
Euxoa nigricans (Linn.)
p56. Resident, widespread and locally common.
Garden Dart
Euxoa cursoria (Hufn.) Coast Dart
pl33. ?Resident, very local and very rare. 23 Dovercourt, 13 and 16 Aug. 1979 (MEA),
surprisingly the only Essex records since the turn of the century of this coastal species (see
Guide).
Agrotis vestigialis (Hufn.) Archer's Dart
p56. Resident, very local; virtually confined to the north-east coast. 01,11 Colne Point NR / St
Osyth, now known to be common, (RWA, RCH) - see Guide. The post-1960 dot for square 69 on
map 92 in MBGBI.9 cannot be substantiated.
Agrotis segetum (D. & S.)
p56. Resident, widespread and common.
Turnip Moth
Agrotis clavis (Hufn.)
p56. Resident, widespread and locally fairly common.
Heart and Club
Agrotis exclamationis (Linn.)
p56. Resident, widespread and very common, sometimes abundant.
Heart and Dart
Agrotis ipsilon (Hufn.) Dark Sword-grass
p56. Resident and migrant; widespread and sometimes locally common, but numbers fluctuate
markedly.
Agrotis puta (Hb.)
p56. Resident, widespread and common.
Shuttle-shaped Dart
87