Identification

All three ‘highflyers’ have a characteristic shape of having shoulders at the base of the forewings, together with a black diagonal dash at the apex that will separate it from the other two.

Recording method

Adult comes to light, often in numbers.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as an egg on the foodplant. Larvae are present April to early June, feeding by night, with pupation taking place at ground level.

Larval foodplants

Bilberry, Creeping Willow, Hazel, Heather and sallows.

Habitat

Mostly woodland, but a wide variety of other sites as well.

History

First recorded for Dumfries and Galloway in VC72 at Raehills, Dumfries by Little, for VC73 in 1874 near Castle Douglas by Robinson-Douglas and for VC74 in 1899 near Monreith by Russell.