Description: Wingspan 31-38mm. Forewings are straw coloured with whitish veins, a postmedian line, two small black dots and a brown coloured basal streak extending to the median area of the forewing. Hindwings are greyish white or fuscous brown, with darker veining and a small discal spot. The outer fringe is white. Late June to the end of August.

World Distribution: Throughout western Europe as far north as Sweden and south to Spain.

Irish Distribution: Common and widely distributed in all counties including Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim.

Ecology: A grassland species found in a variety of habitats. Adults come frequently to light in moderate numbers and will also visit flowers, especially Ragwort Senecio jacobaea and Marram Ammophila arenaria. The larvae are nocturnal, feeding from September until May of the following year, on Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata, Common Reed Phragmites australis and various other grasses. It overwinters as a small larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Brown-coloured basal streak
• Two small black dots on forewing
• Reniform stigma is reduced to a small black dot

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

iNaturalist: Mythimna impura at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.