About Mormo maura (Linnaeus, 1758)
Technical description and variation: The wingspan of Mormo maura ranges from 55 to 65 mm, and forewing length ranges from 30 to 36 mm. The forewing is dull fuscous blackish, with the median area usually darker; the paler base ground colour is actually ochreous grey, thickly dusted with fuscous. The subbasal line is double, forming two series of groups of black scales across the basal area. The inner and outer lines are double, filled with pale colour, and both are oblique basewards below vein 1. The median vein and its branches are pale. The subcostal space has five black blotches above the median area. The orbicular stigma is large, oblique, and pale with dark dusting. The reniform stigma is dark with a pale outline, widened outwards on both sides below. The submarginal line is pale and preceded by a dark fuscous shade, angled outwards above and below the middle. The apical area above vein 6 is pale grey. The hindwing is dull fuscous, with a straight pale band beyond the middle, followed by a broad black subterminal border (called striata), outwardly edged by a pale submarginal line. In the form striata Tutt, the transverse lines, along with the median vein and veinlets, are conspicuously pale. Additional reference: Fibiger, M. et al., 2007. Habitat: Mormo maura mostly lives near water, in river valleys, meadows, and bogs, as well as in shore areas of streams, ponds, and lakes.
