Status Widespread and abundant. Most habitats.
This species and Langmaid's Yellow Underwing Noctua janthina were separated as different species in 1991. Please see Langmaid's Yellow Underwing for differences.
A new species to Britain, Wilson's Yellow Underwing Noctua tertia, the first specimen confirmed from Kent in 1992, was published in a 2022 paper. (Noctua tertia in Britain. B.Elliott, D.Wilson. Ent. Rec. 134) It is suggested that any reddish-tinted examples of Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe are worth close scrutiny, and features of the underside of the forewing (blurred junction of the black area) should be checked. However, N. tertia can only be confirmed by genitalia dissection, female genitalia being clearly different, male extremely similar!Recorded in 68 (92%) of 74 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1834. Last Recorded in 2023. |