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Common swift moth
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==Description== The male has a [[wingspan]] of about 30 mm with dark brown forewings with white apical and basal streaks meeting to make a "V" shape with another spot close to the [[Costa (entomology)|costa]]. The hindwings are plain brown. The female is larger (wingspan about 40 mm) with similar patterning to the male but generally paler and less distinct. Patterns on the moths are highly variable, ranging from whitish to grey to pale brown with the females slightly larger and less strongly marked. Some individuals of both sexes are plain buff or brown with no pattern.<ref name="mt">{{cite book |last1=Townsend |first1=Martin |last2=Waring |first2=Paul |last3=Lewington |first3=Richard |author3-link=Richard Lewington (artist) |title=Concise Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland |date=2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides |location=London |isbn=978-1-4729-5728-3 |pages=10β11 |edition=Second}}</ref><ref> Sukhareva, I. L., 1987 Hepialidae in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): ''Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR'', Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 1 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987 </ref> The moths do not have a [[proboscis]], are unable to feed, and therefore, are not usually found at flowers.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Leverton |first1=Roy |title=Enjoying Moths |date=2001 |publisher=Poyser Natural History |location=London |isbn=0-85661-124-7 |page=97}}</ref> The adults fly at dusk in May and June{{ref|flight_season}} and the females broadcast the eggs, in a hovering flight, just above the vegetation. Males have a hovering flight.<ref name="mbgbi">{{cite book |last1=Heath |first1=John |author1-link=John Heath (entomologist) |title=Hepialidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1 |date=1983 |publisher=[[Harley Books]] |location=Colchester |isbn=0-946589-15-1 |pages=166β70}}</ref> The species overwinters as a [[larva]].<ref name="ukmoths">{{cite web |last1=Kimber |first1=Ian |title=Common Swift ''Korscheltellus lupulina'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |url=https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/korscheltellus-lupulina |website=UKmoths |access-date=8 November 2022}}</ref> The [[orange swift]] (''Triodia sylvina'') and [[gold swift]] ('Phymatopus hecta') look similar, although the orange swift flies later in the year.<ref name="mt"/> ===Larvae=== The larvae feed underground on the [[root]]s of a wide variety of plants (see list below) and can be an agricultural [[pest (animal)|pest]]. They feed from July to April and when fully fed are 20 mm long with a shiny white body and brown head, prothoracic plate and pinacula. It pupates in a tunnel amongst the roots and uses the spines of the pupa to migrate to the surface, before emergence.<ref name="mbgbi"/> ====Recorded food plants==== {{Div col}} *''Allium'' β [[garlic]] *''Apium'' - [[celery]] *''[[Brassica]]'' *''[[Chrysanthemum]]'' *''[[Dahlia]]'' *''Daucus'' β [[carrot]] *''Fragaria'' β [[strawberry]] *''Helianthus'' β [[Jerusalem artichoke]] *''[[Humulus]]'' β hop *''Lactuca'' β [[lettuce]] *''Lycopersicon'' β [[tomato]] *''Medicago'' β [[alfalfa]] *''[[Narcissus (plant)|Narcissus]]'' β daffodil{{sfn|MAFF|1970}} *''Pastinaca'' β [[parsnip]] *''[[Phaseolus]]'' β bean *''[[Pisum]]'' β pea *[[Poaceae]] β grasses *''[[Ribes]]'' β currant *''[[Rubus]]'' β berries *''Solanum'' β [[potato]] {{Div col end}}
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