Gold spangle

The gold spangle (Autographa bractea) is a moth of the family Noctuidae.

Forewing purplish fuscous with many fine dark strigulae; the lines finely dark but indistinct, inwardly oblique; the inner line below middle finely golden, the outer golden at inner margin only; median area below middle ferruginous brown, containing at base of vein 2 a large irregular somewhat sinuous shining golden blotch (the golden blotch varies from a subquadrate, somewhat anvil-shaped mark to an elongate, sinuous, tongue-shaped one); a deeper diffuse shade from apex to middle; hindwing dull bronzy yellowish tinged with fuscous; the terminal area diffusely deep fuscous.

Larva pale green; dorsal and spiracular lines white; head pale green marked with brown.

The moth flies from July to August depending on the location, and migrates long distances.

The larvae feed on a wide range of plants including Hieracium, Tussilago farfara, Plantago, Crepis paludosa, Taraxacum, Urtica, Lamium, Stachys and Eupatorium cannabinum.

Figs. 4, 4a larvae in two stages of growth