Mythimna turca (Linnaeus, 1761)

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on forest grasses such as Carex brizoides, Molinia arundinacea or Brachypodium sylvaticum.

Habitat:
Mythimna turca inhabits wet to mesophilic forests. I found a caterpillar in late September in a Molinia-tussock together with those of Apamea crenata in an approximately 10-year plantation on the eastern Swabian Alb. In October and early November 2010, I found many larvae usually on Carex brizoides on moist to wet sites in open forest areas. Accompanying species are in the area wetland inhabitants like Philuduria potatoria, Coenonympha hero or Deltote bankiana, but these are usually found in more open sites than Mythimna turca.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters in penultimate instar is mature in late April or May. At this time it is purely nocturnal. They live mainly in the herb layer of lighter woods. The moths fly from June to August.

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
Mythimna turca is threatened by intensive forestry (spruce and other monocultures in dark forest management).

Remarks:
Mythimna turca occurs locally in Europe (except the extreme north and south) as well as in temperate Asia to Japan.