Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing
A sharply defined pale patch on its collar gives this otherwise plain brown moth a neat, buttoned-up look that helps separate it from its many underwing relatives.
| Where | Woodland, hedgerows and gardens |
|---|---|
| Size | 30 to 40 mm wingspan |
| When | July to September |
The Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing has brownish, sometimes purplish-tinged forewings and a thorax with a sharply defined pale buff frontal area, giving it a distinctly neat appearance among the many similar underwing moths.
Caterpillars feed on low herbaceous plants such as dock and dead-nettle, and the single yearly generation of adults visits flowers as well as coming to light through late summer in woodland, hedgerows and gardens.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
Brown
Active
Night
To people
Attracted to light and flowers; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
A larger relative with a wingspan of about 45 to 55 mm and a broader dark border on the hindwing, compared with the smaller size and narrower border of the Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing.
Questions
Is the Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing dangerous to people?
Attracted to light and flowers; harmless to people.
When can you see the Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing?
The Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing can be seen from July to September, at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Owlet moths›Noctua
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.