Plain Golden Y Autographa jota - Distribution map

Please note that the NBN Gateway map service has been terminated as of 1 April 2017.

As soon as a replacement map service is available, distribution maps will hopefully appear here again.

In the meantime, you can get some idea of distribution from the NBN Atlas website.

View the NBN Atlas Map

73.017 BF2443

Plain Golden Y Autographa jota

(Linnaeus, 1758)


Wingspan 38-46 mm.

Similar in appearance to the Beautiful Golden Y (Autographa pulchrina), this moth has a plainer, more brick-red appearance, with fewer less-distinct metallic markings.

It flies at night from June to August, and is regularly attracted to light. The lustrous "Golden Y" marking on the forewing is normally broken in the centre, but there is a form (f. percontationis) with a complete marking, similar to that on the Silver Y (A. gamma).

It is a fairly common species over most of Britain, though scarcer in Scotland.

The larvae feed on a range of plants including nettle (Urtica dioica).

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