Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata (Linnaeus, 1758))
Scientific name: Elophila nymphaeata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: Brown China Mark
French name: Hydrocampe du potamot, Pyrale du Nénuphar
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Heterocera
Family: Crambidae
Subfamily: Acentropinae
Wingspan: 16 to 20 mm.
Biotope: Ponds and lakes with water plants.
Geographic area: Europe.
Flight time: May to September.
Number of generations : 1
Caterpillar: Brownish yellow or greenish. It lives inside a small case under the water plant leaves.
Host plant: Water plants like Pondweeds (Potamogeton sp.) and Water Lilies.
The Brown China Mark is often difficult to observe because it is used to hanging on the underside of plants.
The colour of the wings is variable and may be very dark or very pale.
The wings are often delicately patterned with white patches and browns streaks.
The Brown China mark overwinters as a caterpillar under water.

Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata) - Saône-et-Loire, France - August 18th 2011
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Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata)
This times this Brown China Mark was not hanging under plants. This is much easier to take pictures.


Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata) - Saône-et-Loire, France - May 30th 2009
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Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata)
My native region, low part of the Doubs river valley, shows a landscape with old meanders separated from the main river flow and locally called "Mortes" (meaning dead water).
These are rich biotopes for biodiversity. Associated with surrounding gravel beds and liable to flooding meadows, they have been classified as a Natura2000 area.
It is easy to observe Brown China Marks because of the numerous aquatic plants that are growing over there.


Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata) - Yvelines, France - May 27th 2010
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Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata)
I observed this Brown China Mark among the vegetation bordering a small pond in a forest.


Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata) - Saône-et-Loire, France - July 13th 2017
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Brown China Mark (Elophila nymphaeata)
The lamppost that illuminates part of the farmyard attracts moths when lit.
A Brown China Mark came to join the small troop of which I tried to make a small inventory.

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