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Silver Y

Autographa gamma

1 photo

1 photographer

·Common · 1 pts

Common migrant moth with a silvery Y mark on each forewing.

1 community photo of Silver Y on Things With Wings. Top-rated shots often use around 1/320ss shutter, 300mm.

Not listed; common and widespread.

Lifespan: 2–3 months per generation; adults live 4–6 weeks
Size & Weight: Wingspan 32–38 mm; 9–12 mg
Habitat: Open habitats including gardens, farmland, grassland, and disturbed ground with abundant herbaceous plants.
UK Distribution: Found throughout the UK as a summer migrant, arriving from March onwards; populations peak in autumn. Some individuals may overwinter in mild years.
Diet: Adults feed on nectar from a wide range of flowers including thistles, dandelions, lavender, and umbellifers.
Predators: Small birds, robber flies, and parasitoid wasps.
Mating Season: March to October, with multiple overlapping generations.
Breeding: Females lay eggs singly on host plants; typically 2–3 generations per year in the UK. Caterpillars develop over 2–3 weeks.
Behaviour: The Silver Y is highly migratory and undertakes long-distance movements from southern Europe and Africa. It is a strong flier and frequently visits flowers during the day. The species is named for the silvery Y-shaped marking on each forewing.

Did You Know?

•Can complete its entire life cycle in just 4–5 weeks under favourable conditions, allowing multiple generations in one season.
•The caterpillars are green or brown and feed on a huge range of plants including clover, lucerne, nettles, and beans.
•Adult moths are regularly seen nectaring in bright daylight, unlike most UK moth species.
•Mass migrations occur in spring and autumn; notable immigration events can see millions arrive in the UK in a single night.
•The species overwinters as pupae in the soil in southern Europe, with adults migrating north as temperatures warm.

Easily Confused With

Scarce Tissue — Scarce Tissue has a more mottled appearance and lacks the prominent silvery Y marking; it is also much rarer and restricted to southern England.
Grey Chi — Grey Chi has a pale chi (X-shaped) marking rather than a Y, is generally greyer in tone, and lacks the bright yellow coloration of Silver Y.

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Shutter

1/320ss

ISO Range

400

Aperture

f/f/5.6

Focal Length

300mm

🪲 Silver Y Moth

Moth