Description: Wingspan 34-42 mm. The forewing colouration can be variable but it is normally pale brown with a slightly reddish tint. There is a distinctive black basal streak, slightly forked at the tip. Stigmata are paler than the base colour and not clearly defined. The crosslines are lighter than the ground colour and curved towards the costa. The subterminal line is irregular, faint with a small dark mark. The termen has a series of small dark crescents. Hindwings pale fuscous with darker veining and a small discal spot and paler fringe. Early May to late June.

World Distribution: Holarctic; common throughout western Europe as far north as Finland.

Irish Distribution: Widely distributed in scattered sites across west Fermanagh, parts of north Armagh and the Greater Belfast area. There is one old record from the Portballintrae area of north Antrim.

Ecology: A grassland species found in a variety of habitats. Adults come to light in small numbers and occasionally flowers. During the day it remains concealed low down among vegetation and is seldom encountered by day. The larvae feed from August until March on cock's-foot and probably other grasses. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Black basal streak
• Paler Irregular crosslines
• Small dark crescents on the termen of the forewing

Distribution Map from NBN: Apamea sordens at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Apamea sordens at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.