The 'Double Square-spot' (''Xestia triangulum'') is a
moth of the family
Noctuidae. It is distributed through most of
Europe.
This species has pale brown forewings marked with two distinctive black marks (despite the common name only one of these is square, the other being roughly triangular). The hindwings are similar in colour to the forewings. The
wingspan is 36-46 mm. The moth flies at night in June and July and is attracted to light and sugar and to
flowers such as
wood sage.
The
larva is brown with black marks and is
polyphagous, feeding on a wide variety of plants including
birch,
blackthorn,
bramble,
dock,
hawthorn,
raspberry and
sallow. The species overwinters as a larva.
# ''The flight season refers to the
British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.''
References
★ 'Chinery, Michael' ''Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe'' 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
★ 'Skinner, Bernard' ''Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles'' 1984