Taken at Aston, Oxon., on July 6th 2025. (© David Hastings)
(1/200th sec at f/11)

Description

Family: Noctuidae (ABH : 73.276)

Wing span: 28 - 32mm

When freshly emerged this moth had purplish-pink marbling on the fore-wing. This fades with age, leaving the fore-wing dark greyish-brown.

It can be found throughout the British Isles.

Habitats are a wide range of open, grassy places.

There are two generations per year in the south, late May to June, and late July to early September. Further north the generations overlap, or there is only one. The pupa is the over-wintering stage.

Larvae feed on the ripening seeds of Red, White and Sea Campions, and Ragged Robin. They live inside the seed capsules until too large, then feed only at night.

It comes to light in small numbers, and feeds at flowers.

Earliest UK sighting: 6th July

Sightings