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

Identification

Tawny Marbled Minor cannot be reliably distinguished from Marbled Minor and Rufous 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.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a larva. Larvae August to April, feeding inside a grass stem. Pupates amongst the roots of the foodplant..

Larval foodplants

Grasses including Cock’s-foot..

Habitat

A wide variety of grasslands, including gardens and woodland rides.

History

The first record was when Sir Arthur Duncan found it at Closeburn (VC72) on 22nd July 1970 and determined by E. C. Pelham-Clinton, specimen in National Museums Scotland.

During 1975-91 all Rothamsted stations apart from Caerlaverock, recorded just under twenty records.

From 1995 to 2010 confirmed records have been found at Torrs Warren, Glentrool, Abbey Burn Foot and Durisdeer.