Identification

Care required to separate from Small Rivulet. The white cross-band with a fine dark line inside it is positioned two thirds the way down the forewing. Near the trailing edge basally there is one rounded indentation that is key. There are two on Small Rivulet.

Recording method

Flies from dusk near the foodplant Red Campion, comes to light in small numbers.

Life cycle

Overwinters as a pupa underground. Larvae are present July to early September.

Larval foodplants

Larvae feed on Red Campion flowers and seeds.

Habitat

Open woodland, scrub, hedgerows and other habitats where the foodplant is found. The caterpillar lives wholly concealed within the seedpods of Red Campion, feeding on the seeds

History

First recorded for Dumfries and Galloway in 1820 for VC72 at Raehills by Little, in 1870 for VC73 in Colvend parish by White and in 1899 for VC74 near Monreith by Morton.