Bug FAQCentre-barred Sallow
Atethmia centrago · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Source: Wikipedia
The adult has a wingspan of about 32 to 36 mm. Its forewings are deep yellow with a central grey-purple band edged by pale and sinuous lines, and the hindwings are dull white turning yellow-rufous toward the edge. Adults are on the wing in a single generation from August through early October.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Forewings are bright yellow with a grey-purple central stripe bordered inside by a pale vertical line and outside by a wavy line; the stripe does not reach the top except beyond the reniform spot, which shares the same colour, and the fringe is also grey-purple.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges between 32 and 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs across most of Europe, except Scandinavia and Italy, and also in parts of the Near East such as Asia Minor, Armenia, Syria and Palestine.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars mainly feed on ash trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one generation of adults that fly from August to early October.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active in late summer to early autumn, specifically August through early October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes Europe (excluding Scandinavia and Italy) and extends into Asia Minor, Armenia, Syria and Palestine.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Similar forms include the paler ‘pallida’ from Asia Minor, which has reddish-greyish forewings and a whiter hindwing, and ‘maculifera’ from Syria and Palestine, a yellowish form with a large dark reniform spot and a more strongly curved outer line.
Source: Wikipedia
Questions people ask
When are the adult moths active?
Adults fly in one generation from August to early October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this moth?
It is found across most of Europe (except Scandinavia and Italy) and in parts of the Near East such as Asia Minor, Armenia, Syria and Palestine.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atethmia_centrago
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.