| Large Tabby (Aglossa pinguinalis (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Aglossa pinguinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Large Tabby Other names: Grease Moth French name: Aglosse de la graisse Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Pyralidae Subfamily: Pyralinae Wingspan: 29-38 mm, females are larger than males. Biotope: Because of the caterpillars' food, these butterflies are often seen near farms and even in barns. Geographic area: Eurasia, introduced to North America. Flight time: June to August. Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Very dark grey to blackish. The thoracic segments are darker than the abdominal segments. The head, anal plates and legs are reddish brown. Host plant: Caterpillars feed on organic debris, animal droppings, fruits, grains, hay and other dry vegetation. |
The Large Tabby has greyish-brown forewings crossed by three darker, sinuous transverse lines that are not always very visible. The postmedian line is more sinuous than the others and has two strong indentations as it thickens and skirts a lighter area. This may appear as dark spots followed by light spots towards the margin. There is a well marked dark discal spot. The hindwings are light grey or brownish. |
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I observed this Large Tabby inside the buildings of an old farm. The transverse, basal, antemedian and postmedian lines are not very visible, but we clearly see two strong indentations of the dark postmedian line running around a thickening of the light line on the margin side. |
André Bon February 2024