Seq # 900120010

Trichoplusia ni (Hübner, 1803) Species

Last modified: Oct. 20, 2023, 6:43 p.m.


A very rare immigrant, not seen every year.


Details

Classification
Family: Noctuidae > Subfamily: Plusiinae > Tribus: Argyrogrammatini > Genus: Trichoplusia > Species: Trichoplusia ni
Vernacular names
Ni-uil (NL), Ni Moth (EN), Le Ni, la Plusie ni (FR), Aschgraue Höckereule (DE)
First mention in Belgium
Van Schepdael J. 1972b. Deux espèces nouvelles pour la sphère faunistique belge: Plusia ni Hbn. et Mythimna unipuncta Haw. — Linneana belgica 5: 121–122. On page 121.
Status

Migrant

An irregular migrant. Known observations after 2000: 2015 (6), 2017 (4), 2018 (1), 2022 (5), 2023 (1).


Distribution


Imago

Wingspan: 30–40 mm.

Museum specimens


Specimens in nature


Bionomics

It pupates in a white thin fragile cocoon formed on the underside of foliage, plant debris or amongst clods of soil. The adults become active on cloudy days or during cool weather, but are even more active during the night.
They come to light and sugar.

No pictures yet!

Flight periods

The semi-nocturnal adults fly in two generations a year from May till October.


Observed on

Host plant (species):
Cakile maritima
Host plant (genera):
Calendula

The larvae feed on a wide variety of cultivated plants and weeds like: Calendula, Cakele maritima, Chenopodium, Lactuca, Taraxacum officinale, Rumex crispus, Tagetes, Brassica, Solanum lycopersicum, Cucumis sativus etc...
This species can be a pest and is very destructive to plants due its voracious consumption of leaves.

No pictures yet!