Xestia agathina, the heath rustic, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in western and central Europe and Morocco.
| Heath rustic | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Xestia |
| Species: | X. agathina |
| Binomial name | |
| Xestia agathina (Esper, 1790)[verification needed] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Technical description and variation
The wingspan is 28–36 mm. Forewing greyish rufous; costal area paler for two-thirds, edged below at base by a fine dark streak; claviform stigma small and obscure; cell black brown; the two stigmata pale, orbicular variable, sometimes large, sometimes contracted to a white spot; hindwing dark grey; antennae of male serrate, with sessile fascicles of cilia. In the form hebridicola Stgr., from the Hebrides, the forewing becomes paler and loses the red tinge; in scopariae Mill, from France the red tinge is overpowered by black suffusion.[1]
Biology
Adults are on wing from in September.
Larva green, with pale dark-edged lines, the spiracular broad and conspicuous. The larvae feed on Calluna species.
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