Plusia putnami Grote, 1873

Host plants:
The larvae feed on grasses and reputedly also other monocotyledonous swamp plants. I recorded it so far only on Carex.

Habitat:
Plusia putnami usually inhabits cool wetlands. In seems to be most common in sedge stands of low production near bogs. The larvae obviously develop often in young abandoned sedge meadows. Most probably, however, Plusia putnami copes with a mowing once and late in the year. When larval habitats are abandoned for a too long time, they tend to densify and overgrow sith shrubs. Thus they are no longer suitable for reproduction. I think that the best management should provide a mosaic of patches that are mown once a year and young fallow patches.

Life cycle:
The larva hibernates when still small in the second or third instar. I recorded such larvae in October by beating Carex stands. In spring larval development often lasts well into June. I found larvae for example in the penultimate instar resting on fresh Carex shoots during daytime in late May. Pupation takes place in the typical Plusiinae cocoon between grass leaves. The moths are on the wing between late June and late August.

Remarks:
Plusia putnami has an Holarctic distribution (Europe, Morocco, temperate and cool Asia, N-America). In Europe, it is local in the central parts (in the west to the British islands) and more widespread in the northern ones.