The common swift (Korscheltellus lupulina) is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It was previously placed in the genus Hepialus. It is a common, often abundant European species. The species was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
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Description
The male has a wingspan of about 30 mm with dark brown forewings with white apical and basal streaks meeting to make a "V" shape with another spot close to the costa. The hindwings are plain brown. The female is larger (wingspan about 40 mm) with similar patterning to the male but generally paler and less distinct. Patterns on the moths are highly variable, ranging from whitish to grey to pale brown with the females slightly larger and less strongly marked. Some individuals of both sexes are plain buff or brown with no pattern. The moths do not have a proboscis, are unable to feed, and therefore, are not usually found at flowers.
The adults fly at dusk in May and June and the females broadcast the eggs, in a hovering flight, just above the vegetation. Males have a hovering flight. The species overwinters as a larva.
The orange swift (Triodia sylvina) and gold swift (Phymatopus hecta) look similar, although the orange swift flies later in the year.
Notes
- The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.
References
Bibliography
- Chinery, Michael (1986, reprinted 1991). Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe.
- Skinner, Bernard (1984). The Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles.
External links
- Lepiforum e.V.