Red List: Least Concern (LC). GB Status: Common.

Identification

Rufous Minor cannot be reliably distinguished from Marbled Minor and Tawny Marbled Minor by external features and species identification requires examination of the genitalia.

Record undissected specimens as 73.1731 Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.)

Recording Method.

Attracted to light, also comes to sugar and flowers.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a larva. Larvae August to spring. Pupates amongst the roots of the foodplant.

Larval foodplants

Grasses, including Cock’s-foot and Wavy Hair-grass.

Habitat

A wide variety of grassy sites, including coastal cliffs, heathland and woodland.

History

The first for the region was when F. W. Smith caught one on 28th June 1943 at Closeburn (E. W. Classey, The Entomologists’ Gazette 1: 51).

Sir Arthur Duncan (1909-84) during his lifetime had found it at Closeburn and Tynron.

During 1975-82 there were two records from Caerlaverock, three from Waterside Mains at Keir, and a single from Bridge of Dee Rothamsted stations. Then, from 1985 to 1993, thirty eight records were recorded from the Mabie Forest station.

Confirmed records from 1997 to 2010 occurred at Kirkton and Durisdeer (VC72), Carruchan Moss and Mersehead RSPB (VC73).