Insect · GBIF taxon 1789695
Large Yellow Underwing
Noctua pronubaAlso known as Common Yellow Underwing
Large yellow underwings hide bright golden-yellow hindwings beneath cryptically patterned brown forewings, flashing them in flight to startle potential predators. Adults remain active from early summer into autumn, feeding on flower nectar at night and resting in dense grass or garden debris by day. Their plump, soil-dwelling caterpillars overwinter under leaf litter before emerging to feed on various broadleaf plants in spring.
NocturnalMigratoryMoth
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flower Nectar
- Grasses
- Dandelions
Predators
- Pipistrelle Bats
- Songbirds
- Toads
ThreatsWidespread pesticide use and heavy artificial night lighting
HabitatsGardens, meadows, pastures, open woodlands, and urban parks
Life span1 year
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNoctuidae
- GenusNoctua
- SpeciesNoctua pronuba
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Light Trapping: Visit artificial lights or setup garden light traps on warm summer nights to view adults up close.
- Substrate Inspection: Gently look beneath dense ground cover or leaf litter during the day where adults rest.
- Larval Searching: Check the base of garden herbs at night with a flashlight to locate nocturnal caterpillars.
Competitor (c) SteveM4560, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator "Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)" by Meneer Zjeroen is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Donald Hobern, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) mnauky, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative
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Found in Collections
Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Large Yellow Underwing is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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