Taken at Aston, Oxon., on June 30th 2022. (© David Hastings)
(1/500th sec at f11)

Description

Family: Erebidae (ABH : 72.046)

Wing span: 30 - 36mm

This moth is similar to the Common Footman, but rests with its wings wrapped tightly around its body, the yellow stripe along the wing leading edge reaches the tip, and the collar is completely orange-yellow.

It is well distributed and quite frequent in most of England and Wales, but largely absent from Scotland and Ireland.

It occupies a wide variety of habitats, particularly heathland, moorland and sand-dunes.

There is one generation, in July and August. The larva is the over-wintering stage.

Larvae feed on lichens and algae on trees, bushes, posts, walls and rocks, low vegetation and the ground.

It comes to light, and visits flowers after dark.

Earliest UK sighting: 18th June ; Latest UK sighting: 26th August

Sightings