Autographa gamma, Silver Y Moth

Common Name: Silver Y

Autographa gamma, more commonly known as the Silver Y, is a migratory moth of the family Noctuidae, which is named for the silvery Y-shaped mark on each of its forewings.

The Silver Y is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 30 to 45 mm. The wings are intricately patterned with various shades of brown and grey providing excellent camouflage. In the centre of each forewing there is a silver-coloured mark shaped like a letter Y or a Greek letter Gamma.

It occurs in a wide variety of habitats, particularly open areas. It regularly visits gardens to take nectar from the flowers. Silver Y moths can produce two or three generations in a year with a fourth generation when conditions are particularly good.

The eggs are laid on the upper or lower surface of leaves. They are whitish in colour and hemispherical in shape with deep ribbing. They hatch after three to four days (longer in cool conditions). Widespread and common throughout the UK.

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