Noctua pronuba, ‘Large Yellow Underwing’, ‘Winter Cutworm’. Eggs: Spherical and pale yellow when freshly laid, darkening slightly with age. Larvae: Cutworms are usually green, brown, grey, or yellow soft-bodied caterpillars, often with black longitudinal stripes or dashes, and semi-circles, measuring up to 2.5cm in length. If you are interested you'll find them here: The caterpillar of this moth is commonly known as a cutworm and is a common pest of tomato, potato, carrot, strawberry, grape, onions, spinach, mustard and grass. From July onwards the eggs are being laid, often in large groups, on grasses and other low plants. Noctua pronuba. The only similar species, the Lesser Yellow Underwing, is always smaller. The striped caterpillar that is crawling along the surface of fresh snow is the larval stage of a noctuid or owlet moth known as the Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba).Noctuids are dull-colored, medium-sized, nocturnal moths that are attracted to lights in the summer. Large Yellow Underwing Larvae Crawling On Snow. The larvae feed on a wide range of herbaceous plants and grasses; this caterpillar was found on a Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) in a garden in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. I saw this caterpillar on the road. Since then, they have raised a ruckus in home gardens, lawns, pastures, and agricultural fields during the winter. The great plantsman E.A. The caterpillar will start feeding again early next year before pupating just under the soil in a silken cocoon. Natter’s Notes Noctua pronuba, the Winter Cutworm Jean R. Natter, OSU Master Gardener Winter cutworms, also known as Large Yellow Underwings, were first identified in Oregon about 2001. Source. The young caterpillars are active during the day. Laid beneath leaves of plants in large clusters in areas of overgrowth. Plodia interpunctella "Indian Meal Moth" What is it?– Sean Gavin, Ballyconneely, Co Galway It is the caterpillar of the garden tiger moth. This caterpillar is the larval stage of the Large Yellow Underwing Moth, one of the pests known as a cutworm. They don't hatch till the end of August or September. Large Yellow Underwing Caterpillar. Tweet; Description: Plump, yellow caterpillar with brown dashes on its abdominal segments. The larvae (caterpillars) feed on a wide array of… Continue reading → The Large Yellow Underwing has a wingspan ranging from 5 to 6 cm. We kept it captive so as to identify it and I've now got a series of photos showing it's development. It had a tan head capsule. Well-known member. Noctua pronuba "Large Yellow Underwing" Although it is called the "Yellow Underwing" the underwings of this moth are typically a bright orange. Bowles mentioned their destructive habits in My Garden in Spring, the first in his trilogy of books about his garden in Middlesex. Underwing Moth, common name for a diverse group of large moths with distinctive wing patterns. The large yellow underwing moth A final instar caterpillar of the Large Yellow Underwing moth ready to hibernate over winter. Abundant throughout the Palearctic ecozone, Europe, the Middle East, and unfortunately introduced to North America in the 1980’s, the winter cutworm moth is one of the largest moths that I’m covering today. There are more than 200 species of underwings, the majority occurring in eastern North America. The large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba) is a moth, the type species for the family Noctuidae.It is an abundant species throughout the Palearctic realm, one of the most common and most familiar moths of the region.In some years the species is highly migratory with large numbers appearing suddenly in marginal parts of the range. May 22, 2004 #1 In April we accidentally dug up a caterpillar while weeding the rose bed. It was 4-5cm long. And agricultural fields during the winter in a silken cocoon, pastures and. 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