Editing Common swift moth

{{Short description|Species of moth}}
{{For|the [[bird]] ''Apus apus''|Common swift}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Common swift
| image = Korscheltellus lupulinus01.jpg
| taxon = Korscheltellus lupulina
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[Lepidoptera in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| synonyms = {{Specieslist
 |Noctua lupulinus|Linnaeus, 1758
 |Hepialus lupulinus|(Linnaeus, 1758)
 |Pharmacis lupulina|(Linnaeus, 1758)
 }}
}}

The '''common swift''' ('''''Korscheltellus lupulina''''') is a [[moth]] of the family [[Hepialidae]]. It was previously placed in the genus ''[[Hepialus]]''. It is a common, often abundant European species. The species was [[Species description|described]] by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his 1758 [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'']].
[[Image:Hepialus lupulinus.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Mounted]]
[[Image:Korscheltellus lupulinus02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Caterpillar]]

==Description==
The male has a [[wingspan]] of about 30&nbsp;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&nbsp;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=10–11 |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=166–70}}</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&nbsp;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'' – [[garlic]]
*''Apium'' - [[celery]]
*''[[Brassica]]''
*''[[Chrysanthemum]]''
*''[[Dahlia]]''
*''Daucus'' – [[carrot]]
*''Fragaria'' – [[strawberry]]
*''Helianthus'' – [[Jerusalem artichoke]]
*''[[Humulus]]'' – hop
*''Lactuca'' – [[lettuce]]
*''Lycopersicon'' – [[tomato]]
*''Medicago'' – [[alfalfa]]
*''[[Narcissus (plant)|Narcissus]]'' – daffodil{{sfn|MAFF|1970}}
*''Pastinaca'' – [[parsnip]]
*''[[Phaseolus]]'' – bean
*''[[Pisum]]'' – pea
*[[Poaceae]] – grasses
*''[[Ribes]]'' – currant
*''[[Rubus]]'' – berries
*''Solanum'' – [[potato]]
{{Div col end}}

==Etymology==
Previously placed in the [[genus]] ''[[Hepialus]]'' – from the Greek; ''hēpialos'' – meaning a fever, as in 'the fitful, alternating flight' of the moth. It has since been allocated to the genus ''[[Korscheltellus]]''.{{Clarify|reason=Meaning?|date=November 2022}} [[Carl Linnaeus]] originally gave the moth the [[Species|specific name]] ''lupulinus'' in affinity with the [[ghost moth]] (''Hepialus humuli''). ''[[Humulus]]'' is the genus for hops and Linnaeus knew that the [[ghost moth]] fed on the roots of hops; he was not aware of the actual foodplant of the common swift.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Emmet |first1=A Maitland |author1-link=A. Maitland Emmet |title=The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning |date=1991 |publisher=[[Harley Books]] |location=Colchester |isbn=0-946589-35-6 |page=42}}</ref>{{clarify|date=March 2023}}

==Notes==
# {{Note|flight_season}} ''The flight season refers to the [[British Isles]]. This may vary in other parts of the range.''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite journal |title=Narcissus pests, 6th ed.|journal=Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Bulletin|date=1970|issue= 51|url=http://dafflibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/Narcissus-Pests-opt.pdf |accessdate=20 December 2014|ref={{harvid|MAFF|1970}}}}
*[[Michael Chinery|Chinery, Michael]] (1986, reprinted 1991). ''Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe''.
*[[Bernard Skinner (entomologist)|Skinner, Bernard]] (1984). ''[[The Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles]]''.

==External links==
*[http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Korscheltellus_Lupulina ''Lepiforum e.V.'']

{{Taxonbar |from=Q1615974}}

[[Category:Hepialidae]]
[[Category:Moths described in 1758]]
[[Category:Moths of Asia]]
[[Category:Moths of Europe]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]