See also Moth of the Week (04/07/2019)

Identification

The small size, grey forewing colour with bold black spots on the costa and black central dash, combine to make it unique. Specimen or quality photo required for record acceptance.

Recording method

Can be disturbed from its food-plant thyme during hot days, comes to light.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a pupa. Larvae are present August and September.

Larval foodplants

Larvae feed on the flowers of Wild Thyme.

Habitat

Steep, rocky coastal cliffs that are warm, also, limestone quarries and partly vegetated sand-dunes.

History

First recorded for Dumfries and Galloway in 1899 for VC74 near Monreith by Morton, in 1974 for VC73 at Portling by Duncan but not until 1998 for VC72 at Castle Loch by Richard Mearns.