Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) | Species | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Taken at Aston, Oxon., on February 3rd 2023. (1/1000th sec at f8. © David Hastings) DescriptionFamily: Noctuidae Wing span: 28 - 30mm This moth is distinguished from other brown noctuids flying in autumn and early spring by the rounded outer edge of its fore-wing. It is highly variable, and can be very plain or strongly marbled. The trailing half of the kidney mark is usually dark. The fore-wing ground colour is light or dark chestnut brown, or a mixture of the two. It can be found throughout the British Isles. It is most frequent in broad-leaved woodland, also in hedgerows, scrub and gardens. There is one generation, from September to May. It becomes active in mild weather. Larvae feed on oaks, elms, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Downy Birch, Sweet chestnut and docks. In the autumn it is usually found feeding on ivy flowers and over-ripe berries. It is more frequent at light in late winter and spring. Sightings
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||