Mythimna straminea (Treitschke, 1825)

Host plants:
The species lives on Phragmites australis and also other grasses and sedges of wetlands (e.g. on Carex acuta).

Habitat:
Mythimna straminea inhabits higher growing siltation zones at lakes and rivers as well as other wetlands with reed and sedges.

Life cycle:
The very elongated caterpillar overwinters. In October, I tapped it several times from reeds. It is fully-grown in May, then nocturnal and can be found with a pocket lamp. It is betrayed by distinct feeding scars on the reed leaves. The moths fly in a single generation from June to early August.

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
Mythimna straminea is in decline in many regions and locally already extinct due to the destruction of wetlands (agricultural intensification, fertilization, drainage, afforestation).

Remarks:
Mythimna straminea is known from Morocco, Southern and Central Europe and Asia Minor.