Identification

The broad, plain, sandy-brown or greyish-brown forewing with a black basal streak is diagnostic.

Recording Method.

Attracted to light, also comes to sugar and flowers.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a larva during July to March, close to the ground, with pupation in a cocoon there.

Larval foodplants

Grasses and cereal crops.

Habitat

Arable farmland, urban gardens, woodland rides and various grasslands.

History

Lennon (1863) had stated it was common around the Dumfries area. K. J. Morton of Edinburgh (1900) while on a visit in July 1899 to Wigtownshire had found this species in the Monreith area. Gordon (1913) had found it generally distributed and often abundant during June in Wigtownshire. Earliest date was 10th June 1906.

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

There was a lean period from 1969 when it was found at Sandhead (VC74) to 1989 when E. F. Hancock found it in Kilsture Forest (VC74), with other records in that period including a single at Mossyard in 1972, four records from Irvine House Lodge, Auchenrivock, during 1974, RIS data included singles at three of the stations, one trapped on the Hensol Estate in 1984, and lastly, it was recorded at the Scottish Entomologists’ meeting at Barony College in 1982.

From 1994 to 2010 there were nearly eighty records, with Kirkton supplying 66 of them. The rest came from Rockcliffe, Castle Loch at Lochmaben, Sandhead, Abbey Burn Foot, Dundeugh, Glencaple and near Kendoon.