Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) | Species | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Taken at Aston, Oxon., on August 4th 2026. (© David Hastings) (Canon R6+RF100, f/8, 1/200th, ISO 20000, 100mm) DescriptionFamily: Noctuidae (ABH : 73.121) Wing span: 32 - 38mm The wide, golden-yellow cross-band and yellow oval, kidney mark and tooth mark on a broad, sharply pointed fore-wing are diagnostic. It is well-distributed in England and Wales, most of mainland Scotland (except the western Highlands), and Ireland. Habitats are rough grassland, woodland rides and edges, ditch-banks, marshes and some gardens. There is one generation from late August to October. It over-winters as an egg. Larvae feed on robust herbaceous plants, particularly thistles, burdocks and Foxglove. They feed and pupate inside the lower stem. It comes to light in small numbers. Earliest UK sighting: 4th August ; Latest UK sighting: 1st October Sightings
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