Luperina dumerilii

• Subfamily: Xyleninae, Apameini
• Wingspan: 29-36 mm
• Flight period: Aug - Sep
• Spread: Common
• Host plants: Poaceae

Information

Luperina dumerilii also called Dumeril's rustic is a moth of the Noctuidae family, subfamily Xyleninae, with wingspan of 29-36 mm.
In Europe it is present in the central western area and in the Balkan peninsula. *
The range also extends to Turkey and Jordan. **** In Italy it is also present in the islands. *

The front wings of Luperina dumerilii vary from cream to brown. A wide cream colored band (sometimes in the background color) it is visible in the post-discal region to terminate in the apex. Another band lighter than the base color is visible in the basal region.
Two almost white spots are also visible, sometimes filled in the background color, one elongated in the disc region, the other kidney-shaped in the median area.

The hind wings are white / yellowish in color.
Head, thorax and abdomen are in the bottom of the front wings with a moderate hair, the abdomen is slightly lighter.

The Luperina dumerilii has one generation per year in the period between August and September. ***
Thermophilic species loves soils with the presence of calcium, and lawns well exposed to the sun. ***

The eggs are spherical translucent ocher laid in groups with a gelatinous appearance. **
It overwinters in the larva stage.

The larvae feed on the roots of Poaceae, in the subsoil, where pupation takes place in July.


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** Bestimmungshilfe für die in Europa nachgewiesenen Schmetterlingsarten - http://lepiforum.de/
*** Roland Robineau, Guide de papillons nocturne de France, Delachaux et Niestlé, 2011 p. 134
**** László Ronkay, Zoltán Varga: "Luperina diversa (Staudinger, 1891) bona sp., mit der Beschreibung zwei neuer Subspezies (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)". Annales historico-naturales Musei nationalis hungarici, Budapest. Vol. 77, 1985, S. 207-216.