Mint moth

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Species of moth

title: "Mint moth" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["pyrausta-(moth)", "moths-described-in-1763", "moths-of-asia", "moths-of-europe", "moths-of-africa", "taxa-named-by-giovanni-antonio-scopoli", "articles-containing-video-clips"] description: "Species of moth" topic_path: "general/pyrausta-moth" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_moth" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Species of moth ::

| name = Mint moth | image= Pyrausta.aurata.7571.JPG | image_caption = Pyrausta aurata | taxon = Pyrausta aurata | authority = (Scopoli, 1763) | synonyms =

  • Pyrausta deficiens Dufrane, 1957
  • Pyrausta inciae Koçak, 1981
  • Botys purpuralis var. meridionalis Staudinger, 1879

The mint moth (Pyrausta aurata) is a small moth from the family Crambidae, also known by the common name Small Purple and Gold.

Distribution

This species can be found in most of Europe and it is also widespread in North Africa and North Asia. In the east it is present from Siberia to North China, Korea and Japan, in the south, it covers Asia Minor, the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, Middle Asia and Mongolia.

Habitat

These moths inhabit chalk and limestone grassland, woodland, marshland and gardens.

Description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Mint_moth_(Pyrausta_aurata)on_shrubby_cinquefoil(Dasiphora_fruticosa).webm" caption="video of ''Pyrausta aurata''"] ::

Pyrausta aurata has a wingspan of 18 -. The forewings are purplish-brown with golden yellow markings. The yellow spots can also be greatly reduced up to complete absence. Sometimes there is an almost indistinct wavy golden postmedian line between the dorsum and the main golden spot. The hindwings are dark brown or also black with a broad yellow transverse band approximately in the wing center and without additional spot closer to the basal area.

The moth is very similar to the related Pyrausta purpuralis, a slightly larger moth with a broad postmedian continuous band, usually divided into at least three yellow spots.

The caterpillar can reach a length of 13 mm. It may be light green, dark green, light brown, black, grey, or reddish, with a darker back line. The head is brownish black. The pupa is quite slender, red-brown to black-brown.

Biology

In the UK, it has two broods; in May/June, and July/August. In north-west Europe it can be seen from April until the end of September and is capable of having two generations in each season.

It flies both at day and at night. As the name suggests, the mint moth often uses mint (Mentha spicata. Mentha rotundifolia) as a food plant, though it can also be found on other species such as marjoram, Salvia pratensis, Melissa officinalis, Nepeta cataria and Calamintha species.

Gallery

File:Pyrausta purpuralis2.jpg|Mating File:Pyrausta aurata caterpillar (11966222093).jpg|Caterpillar File: Mint moth (pyrausta aurata) first brood.jpg|First brood. File: Pyraustinae - Pyrausta aurata.JPG|Second brood

References

References

  1. "Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire - Saving butterflies, moths and their habitats in Warwickshire".
  2. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172830/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=442852 Fauna Europaea]
  3. Hiroshi Inoue: Check list of the Lepidoptera of Japan. Part 2. Rikusuisha, 1954
  4. Hassan Mohammadian: Biological diversity of Lepidoptera in Iran: geographic distribution of 2200 species. Shabpareh Publications, Teheran 2006, {{ISBN. 964-96358-4-X, 386 S.
  5. Ayuna A. Shodotova: Pyralid Moths (Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea) of Buryatia: Family Pyraustidae. Entomological Review, 88(5): 543-557, 2008 DOI:10.1134/S0013873808050035
  6. [http://butterfly-conservation.org/51-1427/mint-moth.html Butterfly Conservation]
  7. [https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/pyrausta-aurata/adult/ UK Moths]
  8. The number and intensity of these markings is quite variable. Usually in the forewings there is a single postmedian round golden spot near the costa, often with some other minor golden spots.[http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/pyrausta-aurata Nature spot]
  9. G. Doremi [http://gdoremi.altervista.org/crambidae/Pyrausta_aurata_en.html Altervista]
  10. [http://www.upperthames-butterflies.org.uk/Moth_files/Pyraustas_difficult_moths.pdf Upper Thames Butterflies]
  11. [http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Pyrausta_Aurata Lepiforum.de]
  12. Geoffrey Abbott, Peter Holden: RSPB Handbook of Garden Wildlife. Christopher Helm, London 2008, {{ISBN. 978-0-7136-8860-3, 240 S.

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