Identification

Fairly distinctive.

Recording Method.

Attracted to light, also comes to sugar and flowers.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a larva, during August to June, with pupation underground.

Larval foodplants

Grasses.

Habitat

A wide variety of grassy sites.

History 

Douglas Robinson (1870-71) had found it very common in July on Almorness (VC73). Buchanan White of Perth (1895) listed it as occurring in Colvend parish (VC73). K. J. Morton of Edinburgh (1900) whilst on a visit in July 1899 to Wigtownshire had found this species in the Monreith area. Gordon (1913) had found it common and generally distributed in Wigtownshire. Earliest date was 20th June 1899.

Sir Arthur Duncan (1909-84) during his lifetime had found it at Closeburn, Tynron and Castlehill, Dumfries (all VC72).

During 1976-77 there were twelve records from six of the Rothamsted stations, Mabie Forest not recording it. From 1981-83 it was trapped on the Hensol Estate (VC73), and during August 1987 Bernard Skinner had found it at Sandhead (VC74).

From 1993 to 2010 there were 200 records with nearly half from the regular trapping site at Kirkton, with the remainder trapped at a number of widespread sites across the region.