Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and moths) ➔ Family Noctuidae (Owlet moths)

Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)

Gemüseeule Bright-line Brown-eye

Synonyms and other combinations:

Phalaena oleracea Linnaeus, 1758 [original combination] | Phalaena (Noctua) spinaciae Borkhausen, 1792 | Mamestra variegata Austaut, 1885 | Peucephila essoni Hampson, 1909 | Monima albolineata Matsumura, 1926 |

  • Lacanobia oleracea 8491
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-26 20:45:21
    Image number: 8491

    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-26 20:45:21
  • Lacanobia oleracea, eggs 8472
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, eggs
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-14 16:16:42
    Image number: 8472
    eggs
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-14 16:16:42
  • Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched 8473
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-16 12:21:14
    Image number: 8473
    freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-16 12:21:14
  • Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched 8475
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-16 15:13:42
    Image number: 8475
    freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-16 15:13:42
  • Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched 8474
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-16 15:14:48
    Image number: 8474
    freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-16 15:14:48
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillars 8476
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillars
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-17 09:06:36
    Image number: 8476
    caterpillars
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-17 09:06:36
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8477
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-22 14:05:02
    Image number: 8477
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-22 14:05:02
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8478
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-07-24 10:17:17
    Image number: 8478
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-07-24 10:17:17
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8479
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-01 16:04:59
    Image number: 8479
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-01 16:04:59
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8480
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-01 16:16:04
    Image number: 8480
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-01 16:16:04
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8481
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-08 18:22:14
    Image number: 8481
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-08 18:22:14
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8482
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-08 18:22:53
    Image number: 8482
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-08 18:22:53
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8483
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-08 18:21:19
    Image number: 8483
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-08 18:21:19
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8484
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-08 18:21:41
    Image number: 8484
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-08 18:21:41
  • Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar 8485
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-13 15:36:48
    Image number: 8485
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-13 15:36:48
  • Lacanobia oleracea, pupa 8486
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-11 09:57:22
    Image number: 8486
    pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-11 09:57:22
  • Lacanobia oleracea, pupa 8487
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-09 15:22:25
    Image number: 8487
    pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-09 15:22:25
  • Lacanobia oleracea, pupa 8488
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-16 10:23:44
    Image number: 8488
    pupa
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-16 10:23:44
  • Lacanobia oleracea, exuvia 8493
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, exuvia
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-26 10:38:58
    Image number: 8493
    exuvia
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-26 10:38:58
  • Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched 8489
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-25 12:52:16
    Image number: 8489
    freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-25 12:52:16
  • Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched 8490
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea, freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-25 12:59:56
    Image number: 8490
    freshly hatched
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-25 12:59:56
  • Lacanobia oleracea 8492
    Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)  Gemüseeule  Bright-line Brown-eye 
    Lacanobia oleracea
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-25 13:09:44
    Image number: 8492

    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-08-25 13:09:44

Further vernacular names:
Tomato Moth
Classification:
Lacanobia oleracea belongs to the subfamily Hadeninae, tribe Hadenini.
Distribution:
Palearctic (Europe, Asia, North Africa).
Habitat:
Cultivated land, gardens, vegetable fields, greenhouses, banks of streams and rivers, damp meadows and forests.
Description:
The Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea has a wingspan of 34 - 44 mm. The moths are very variable in colour. The red to dark brown forewings show a white submarginal line, which has two sharp teeths on veins 3 and 4 forming a W, an orange-filled kidney-shaped spot and a grey ring spot. The hindwings are slightly paler in colour.
The caterpillars are very variable. They have a green or brown basic colouring with a dot pattern and show a yellow side stripe in later stages.
Similar species:
There is a particular risk of confusion with the Dog’s Tooth Lacanobia suasa.
Biology:
The Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea usually flies in 2 generations from May to September. The moths are nocturnal and hide during the day.
The polyphagous caterpillars of the Bright-line Brown-eye feed on a variety of different plants. They like to eat tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and other vegetable species. The caterpillars skin themselves 5 to 6 times until pupation. The pupation takes place in the soil. Lacanobia oleracea hibernates as a pupa.
Explanation of the pictures:
The eggs shown here were deposited on the underside of an alder leaf above the herb layer at the edge of a moist meadow. Little caterpillars hatched from the eggs on July 16. The caterpillars have accepted alder leaves as food and developed at different speeds. The first one was pupated on August 9th, the last one took 2 weeks longer. Immediately after moulting, the still green pupae quickly become darker and change their colour to a dark reddish brown. On August 25th the first moth hatched. The pictures show the newly hatched moth with short, close-fitting, still soft, uninflated wings. The moth pumps hemolymph into the veins to inflate the wings. After a short time the wings are already clearly longer and only slightly curved inwards. After the wings have fully expanded and hardened, the moth flies away, usually leaving behind a drop of excess hemolymph (being pale beige in the case of the Bright-line Brown-eye).

References, further reading, links:
  1. Bestimmungshilfe des Lepiforums