Common swift moth
| Common Swift | |||||||||||||
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| Binomial name | |||||||||||||
| Hepialus lupulinus | |||||||||||||
The Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is a common, often abundant European species.
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. A significant proportion of individuals of both sexes are plain buff or brown with no pattern. The species is attracted to light.
The larvae feed underground on the roots of a wide variety of plants and can be an agricultural pest.