Senta flammea

• Subfamily: Hadeninae, Leucaniini
• Wingspan: 32-40 mm
• Flight period: May - Jul
• Spread: Uncommon
• Host plants: Phragmites sp.

Information

The Senta flammea is a moth of the Noctuidae family, subfamily Hadeninae, with wingspan of 32-40 mm.
In Europe it is absent from the Iberian Peninsula, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, and the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. *
Its range extends over a large part of the Palearctic ecozone up to Japan.
In Italy it is present only in the northern regions and is absent from the islands.

The front wings of Senta flammea are pale yellow / gray, with a series of dark spots along the submarginal region. The area of the costa of the wing has lighter veins. A brown / olive band starts from the basal region to widen and fade until it almost disappears near the termen. This band is more intense in females. **
The veins are typically light with brownish intervals. A series of dark spots along the grain along the edge is also visible. the fringe of the wings is clear

The hind wings are white / yellowish with slight dark dusting and a series of dark spots along the edge. Head, thorax and abdomen are in the background color of the front wings and covered by a thick down.

The larva is colored with pale lines with gray edges, and lighter almost white spiracles. ****

The Senta flammea is visible from May to July depending on the location. ***
Adults can be attracted to artificial light and can be found resting on the stems of the host plant at night. It overwinters as a pupa, usually inside a broken reed, but still standing, sealed by silk.

The larvae feed on Phragmites, including Phragmites australis, hiding by day in cavities of the stems of the host plant.


* 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.146
**** Warren. W. in Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde , Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stoccarda Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 191