Identification

This is quite a scarce species and care is needed to separate it. Dark Spinach is easily told from Spinach and Northern Spinach by the dot in the central cross-band, which the latter two don’t have.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a pupa underground. Larvae are present September and October.

Larval foodplants

Larvae feed on goosefoots and oraches.

Habitat

Rough, disturbed ground including the coast.

History

First recorded for Dumfries and Galloway in VC72 in 1862 near Terregles, Dumfries by Lennon who stated that it was ‘uncommon’, the first for VC74 in 1898 was at Corsemalzie where it was ‘not uncommon in the garden’ but it was not found in VC73 until 1996 at Mersehead by Peter Norman.