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

Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)

Hausmutter Large Yellow Underwing

Synonyms and other combinations:

Phalaena pronuba Linnaeus, 1758 [original combination] | Noctua connuba Hübner, [1822] | Triphaena innuba Treitschke, 1825 |

  • Noctua pronuba 9527
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2020-07-15 13:11:10
    Image number: 9527

    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2020-07-15 13:11:10
  • Noctua pronuba 9528
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2020-07-15 13:10:18
    Image number: 9528

    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2020-07-15 13:10:18
  • Noctua pronuba 9529
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba
    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2020-07-15 13:08:10
    Image number: 9529

    DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
    2020-07-15 13:08:10
  • Noctua pronuba, caterpillar 8644
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-03 10:40:39
    Image number: 8644
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-03 10:40:39
  • Noctua pronuba, caterpillar 8645
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-03 10:36:17
    Image number: 8645
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-03 10:36:17
  • Noctua pronuba, caterpillar 8646
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-03 10:35:30
    Image number: 8646
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-03 10:35:30
  • Noctua pronuba, caterpillar 8647
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-06 15:13:05
    Image number: 8647
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-06 15:13:05
  • Noctua pronuba, caterpillar 8648
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-06 15:14:59
    Image number: 8648
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-06 15:14:59
  • Noctua pronuba, caterpillar 8649
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-06 15:15:56
    Image number: 8649
    caterpillar
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-06 15:15:56
  • Noctua pronuba, parasitoid cocoons 8650
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, parasitoid cocoons
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-10 15:49:21
    Image number: 8650
    parasitoid cocoons
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-10 15:49:21
  • Noctua pronuba, parasitoid cocoons 8651
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba, parasitoid cocoons
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-10 15:49:40
    Image number: 8651
    parasitoid cocoons
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-10 15:49:40
  • Noctua pronuba 8652
    Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)  Hausmutter  Large Yellow Underwing 
    Noctua pronuba
    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf; 2019-04-10 17:09:10
    Image number: 8652

    DE, Chemnitz, Hilbersdorf
    2019-04-10 17:09:10

Classification:
Noctua pronuba belongs to the subfamily Noctuinae, tribe Noctuini.
Distribution:
Europe, Canary Islands, North Africa, in parts of Asia; introduced to North America.
Habitat:
Noctua pronuba lives in a variety of different habitats such as meadows, forests, cropland, parks and gardens. The moths are often found in settlements.
Description:
With a wingspan of 45 - 60 mm, Noctua pronuba is the largest of several similar species with yellow hindwings with a black bandage near the rear edge. The forewings of the Large Yellow Underwing are very variable from light to dark brown colored and more or less rich in contrast patterned. In addition to a mostly light ring mark and a dark kidney-shaped mark in the middle, there is a black spot on the outer edge of the forewings in front of the wing tip.
The adult brown or green caterpillars with 2 rows of elongated black spots become up to 5.5 cm long.
Biology:
The Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba is a common, in Central Europe univoltine species.
The moths fly from May to October. They are mainly nocturnal and attracted to light sources. The females lay their eggs in groups on blades of grass, leaves and other suitable places.
The caterpillars are polyphagous and feed on a variety of different plant species. The caterpillars overwinter. They pupate in an earth cocoon.
Note:
I found the caterpillar shown here in the city on a footpath on 3 April. I offered it a variety of plants, but it didn't want to eat and only changed its position from time to time. During food exchange on 10 April it became apparent that in the meantime almost 40 small parasitoids had left the caterpillar and had built 3 mm long cocoons under a blackberry leaf on the kitchen paper used as a base. The caterpillar was still alive, but was very emaciated and wrinkled and had small exit holes caused by the parasitoids. It died a few days later. On 21 and 22 April the parasitoids shown here hatched. They are belonging to the Microgastrinae, a subfamily of Braconidae.

References, further reading, links:
  1. Bestimmungshilfe des Lepiforums
  2. Paul Sterry, Andrew Mackay: Naturführer Schmetterlinge, Verlag Dorling Kindersley, 2005, 224 Seiten, ISBN 3831006709, 9783831006700.
  3. Michael Chinery: Pareys Buch der Insekten: über 2000 Insekten Europas, Verlag Kosmos, 2004, 326 Seiten, ISBN 3440099695, 9783440099698.