Insecta : Lepidoptera : NoctuidaeButterflies and Moths

Autographa jota (Linnaeus, 1758)

Plain Golden Y

Autographa jota

Description: Wingspan 38-46 mm. Forewings light brown with a pinkish tinge. There is a broad darker area running along the dorsum making the wing appear two-tone in appearance. The y-shaped mark is greatly reduced and not as obvious as in A. pulchrina. Antemedian and postmedian lines have a pinkish tinge. Hindwings fuscous with a pinkish tone; small discal spot and a broad darker terminal band. Mid-June to mid-August.

World Distribution: Eurasiatic; widespread in western from Spain to southern Finland.

Irish Distribution: Common and widespread throughout all counties including Rathlin Island.

Ecology: Found in similar habitats to the other Y moths. Adults come frequently to light and also visit flowers. The larvae feed from August to May on Common Nettle Urtica dioica, Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum and probably other low-growing plants.

Key Identification Features:

  • Reduced gamma mark
  • Pinkish tinge to forewings

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

iNaturalist: Autographa jota at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

 Thompson, R. & Nelson, B. (2023). Autographa jota. (Linnaeus, 1758). [In] Moths of Northern Ireland.
https://habitas.org/moths/species.php?item=6548. Accessed on 2026-11-02.