Apamea sordens (Hufnagel, 1766)

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on grasses, including cereals and maize. Initially, the larvae often eat unripe grass fruits in lates summer and autumn. Later the caterpillars are found mostly on the ground at night.

Habitat:
Apamea sordens occurs mainly in open areas and is very adaptable. I tapped young caterpillars from Origanum vulgare (rest place) in a nutrient-poor grassland in August. The spectrum ranges from moist to dry warm.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters in various instars, most often already in the final instar. In winter (December to early February) they are usually not active. In spring (February to April) they feed again and pupate quickly. The moths fly from early or mid-May to July. The young to half-grown larvae are easily beaten out of grassy and herbaceous vegetation between July and September. The mature larvae are easily found with a torch at night in early spring.

Endangerment factors:
Apamea sordens is common and not threatened. However, it is hardly harmful any more in our age of agrochemicals.

Remarks:
The distribution extends across large parts of Europe and Asia, including Japan. It is also reported from N-America.

I consider Apamea sordens closely related to the Azorean A. sphagnicola and A. ramonae.