Longalatedes elymi
Longalatedes elymi, commonly called the Lyme grass, is a moth in the Noctuidae family. It lives along coastal areas of southern Sweden, southern Finland, Denmark, Estonia, northern Poland, northern Germany, and eastern Great Britain.
What it looks like
- Forewings are bone-coloured with a pale brown tint between the veins; the veins are a little darker.
- The outer line appears as a double row of dark spots.
- Hindwings are pale luteous white.
- A darker brown form is known as saturatior.
- Wingspan is about 36 mm.
When it’s active
- Adults are on wing from June to August.
Life cycle and habitat
- The larvae feed inside the stems of Elymus arenarius (Lyme grass), usually below the surface of the sand.
- Larvae are bone-coloured, sometimes with a yellow or reddish tinge; head is reddish brown.
Taxonomy note
- This species has been described under several other scientific names in the past, such as Leucania elymi and Chortodes elymi.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:47 (CET).