Identification

Unmistakable. Male and female quite different from each other as well.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a small larva during July to late April.

Larval foodplants

Larvae feed on heathers and various other herbaceous plants

Habitat

Heathland, moorland and open areas in woodland.

History 1860-2010

Lennon (1860) stated he had found six of this species around Dumfries whilst out walking during the season. By 1863, he had noted its occurrence at Dalskairth, but stated that it was not common. Robinson-Douglas (1874) found it common on all the moors around Almorness and Castle Douglas. Thomas Rae Bruce caught one on Slogarie in early July 1879. R. S. Gordon (1913) found it common and generally distributed on moors of Wigtownshire (VC74) where bog myrtle is plentiful. The Clouded Buff also came to light and sugar on posts on the moor during his time.

Sir Arthur Duncan (1909-84) during his lifetime had found it at Tynron and Lochar Moss (VC72) and Kirkconnell Flow (VC73). Archibald Russell (1944) whilst staying at Gatehouse of Fleet during 1942-43 had found it locally.

A record from Glentrool (VC74) in 1971, and the Silver Flowe (VC73) in 1973, preceded a host of records from the Gatehouse-of-Fleet Rothamsted station during 1974-80. There are only three 20th century records for Dumfriesshire: Caerlaverock, Longbridge Muir and Waterside Mains.

During the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century the Clouded Buff had been found at suitable sites such as Carsegowan Moss, Moss of Cree, Wood of Cree in Wigtownshire and Knowetop Lochs, Fell of Laghead and Kirkconnell Flow in Kirkcudbrightshire, to name a few.