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Noctuidae
Latreille, 1809
The Noctuidae are a family of lepidoptera that includes about 18,000 species.
It is probably the most controversial family in the Noctuoidea superfamily because many of the clades (original groups) are constantly changing. *
For a long time it was considered the largest family of Lepidoptera, but after moving the subfamilies Lymantriinae, Catocalinae and Calpinae within the Erebidae family
it is the latter that is the most numerous.
Most adults of Noctuidae have gray wings, but some subfamilies such as Acronictinae and Agaristinae are very colorful, especially
those of tropical regions.
A characteristic of this family is the posterior trifine vein, due to reduction or absence of the second medial vein (M2). **
Most are stocky and smooth with short rounded heads and few bristles, but there are some exceptions in some subfamilies (eg Acronictinae and Pantheinae). ***
Sexual dimorphism is not evident in most of the species belonging to this family. As the name suggests, these moths fly at night, and they are
easily attracted by artificial light, as well as by sugars and nectar of flowers.
Another characteristic of this family is the high number of species whose caterpillars have
the peculiarity of feeding on poisonous plants, such as Nicotiana and Sophora , which would kill most insects or poison other predators
trying to feed on them.
* Lafontaine, J. Donald; Fibiger, Michael (1 October 2006). "Revised higher classification of the Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera)". The Canadian Entomologist. 138 (5): 610–635. - https://www.semanticscholar.org/
** Fibiger, Michael (2007). The Lepidoptera of Israel. Coronet Books Incorporated. ISBN 9789546422880.
*** Wagner, David L. (25 April 2010). Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A Guide to Identification and Natural History. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1400834143.
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