Luperina

Coastal sand dunes, saltmarshes, sandy heaths, calcareous grasslands, and open grassland near water bodies. Some species occupy highly specific microhabitats: Luperina nickerlii subspecies leechi is restricted to a single sand and shingle bar in Cornwall, UK.

North-west and central Europe, with records from Czech Republic, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. Britain supports the northernmost colonies. Widespread in Britain but less frequent in Scotland.

Adults fly from late July through October. Luperina nickerlii adults fly late August through October; Luperina testacea adults emerge late July to early October.

Larvae feed on grasses. Luperina nickerlii larvae feed on Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Elytrigia juncea, and Puccinellia maritima; subspecies leechi specifically feeds on Elytrigia juncea. Luperina testacea larvae feed on roots and lower stems of various grasses. Adults do not feed.

Eggs laid at bases of grasses or inside sheaths in late summer or autumn. Larvae overwinter inside grass stems or crowns, feeding slowly through winter; in spring they feed underground on rhizomes and roots. Pupae usually have a silky case around them. Adults emerge in late summer to autumn.

Nocturnal; attracted to light. Coastal subspecies are weak fliers and only fly on nights with light or no winds. Luperina nickerlii subspecies demuthi is uniquely adapted to survive under brackish water. Subspecies leechi exhibits cryptic coloration with pale silver and brown forewings matching pebbly shingle substrate. Luperina testacea is frequently trapped at light, predominantly males.

Larval herbivory on grasses contributes to nutrient cycling in grassland and coastal dune ecosystems.

Subject of genomic research; Luperina nickerlii leechi genome sequenced due to conservation interest as a geographically isolated subspecies. Luperina testacea is commonly recorded in moth trapping surveys.

• ResapameaFormer Luperina species (L. enargia, L. innota, L. passer, L. stipata, L. trigona, L. venosa) have been transferred to this genus based on morphological and genetic reassessment.

The name 'Luperina' has been used for both a moth genus (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and a beetle subtribe (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), but these are unrelated taxa. The moth genus Luperina was established by Boisduval in 1829, while the beetle subtribe Luperina (now typically treated as subtribe Luperina within tribe Luperini) was established later by Wilcox in 1965.

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• The genome sequence of the Sandhill Rustic moth Luperina nickerlii (Freyer, 1845) subspecies leechi Goater, 1976.
• The genome sequence of the flounced rustic, Luperina testacea (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775).