Noctua, a genus of moths. The following are injurious to our gardens: -

N. Gamma

The Y,or Gamma Moth. The caterpillars of this are very destructive to peas and other kitchen vegetables during the summer. Mr. Curtis describes it as " being beset with greenish hairs, and on the back with yellow or white ones. It has a brown head. When fully grown, which takes place in the course of a few weeks, it forms a white cocoon, and changes into a blackish brown pupa.

"There are three or four generations of moths during the summer, which appear at intervals between April and October. In the latter month, we have seen them fluttering round flowers at dusk literally by thousands : this remark. applies more particularly to the southern counties of England. The wings are about an inch across, the upper ones are varied with grey and brown, having quite a silvery hue, and towards the centre there is a perfect silvery Greek gamma, y, with a rusty spot close before it, the lower wings are pale ashy brown, with the nerves and hinder margin deep brown. There are few remedies that can be applied to this pest; perhaps the best of all is hand-picking the caterpillars. - Gard. Chron.

N. Exclamationis

The caterpillar of this moth feeds on the stalks of the potato.