Red List: Least Concern (LC). GB Status: Common.

Identification

Usually distinctive. Care required, potential confusion with some examples of Purple Clay, Ingrailed Clay and Small Square-spot.

Recording Method.

Attracted to light, also comes to sugar and flowers.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a larva. Larvae September to early spring. Pupates in a loose cocoon underground.

Larval foodplants

Blaeberry, Bramble, willows and birches.

Habitat

Broadleaved woodland and wooded moorland.

History

Douglas Robinson (1870-71) had found it common at sugar in July on Almorness (VC73). Gordon (1913) thought it was scarce in Wigtownshire, but he had noted it at sugar in the woods at Corsemalzie, Wigtownshire. Earliest date was 9th July 1905.

Sir Arthur Duncan (1909-84) during his lifetime had found it at Closeburn and Tynron (VC72). Archibald Russell (1944) listed it as occurring near Gatehouse of Fleet (VC73) during the years 1942-43.

During 1975-93 the four westerly Galloway Rothamsted stations provided all the records, while in Dumfriesshire, Waterside Mains reported it only twice and Caerlaverock not at all. Since then it has been trapped almost annually.