| Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata (Scopoli, 1802)) |
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Scientific name: Pyrausta aurata (Scopoli, 1802) Common name: Mint Moth French name: Pyrale de la menthe Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Crambidae Subfamily: Pyraustinae Wingspan: 10-15 mm. Biotope: Dry meadows and slopes, wastelands, especially on calcareous soil. Geographic area: Europe, Middle East. Flight time: May to June then July to September. Number of generations : 2 Caterpillar: Whitish or pinkish with a thin darker dorsal stripe and black spots. Host plant: Mints, including Spear Mint (Mentha spicata) and Apple Mint (Mentha rotundifolia), Meadow Clary (Salvia pratensis), Oregano (Origanum vulgare), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Catnip (Nepeta cataria) and Calamints (Calamintha spp). |
The Mint Moth shows dark purple fore wings. This beautiful colour turns to brown with age. The basal area of the fore wings is a bright golden yellow colour. There is a large rounded golden yellow post median patch, usually separated from the costal edge by another small yellow marking. The remaining part of the post median band, to the inner edge, is either missing or formed by two thin and diffuse wavy yellow markings. In fact you can also see these two yellow markings as a single yellow spot divided into two parts by a thin purple wavy line. The hind wings are darker and show a rather broad post median band. There is no white spot in the basal area. The most similar species are Pyrausta purpuralis and Pyrausta ostrinalis. These two species show a better marked post median band towards the inner edge. The yellow spot close to the inner edge does not appear as divided into two parts by a thin purple wavy line on Pyrausta purpuralis. The larvae of the second brood over winter in a cocoon under the soil. |
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You can clearly see a thin purple wavy line dividing a diffuse golden yellow patch into two parts in the post median area close to the inner edge. This is the criterion to use to tell apart the Mint Moth species (Pyrausta aurata). |
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This view of the same moth shows the post median band on the hind wings which is wider than the one on Pyrausta purpuralis. |
André Bon March 2016