Identification

Care required to separate from other ‘beauties.’ In Willow Beauty the defined median line touches or almost touches the postmedian line at the trailing edge of the wing. On the underside of the forewing is a pale apical mark.

Recording method

Adult moths can be found resting on tree trunks by day, come to light.

Life cycle

Two generations. Overwinters as a small larva on the foodplant during July to June.

Larval foodplants

A wide variety of broadleaved trees, climbers and shrubs.

Habitat

A wide range of habitats but where ever the foodplant grows.

History

First recorded for Dumfries and Galloway in 1903 for VC74at Alticry Lodge by Garraway, in 1904 for VC73 near Dumfries by Clutton but only in 1974 for VC72 at Ecclefechan by Radford.

J. Garraway informed Gordon (1919) that he had taken two on tree trunks below Alticry Lodge, Wigtownshire, in July, 1903. W. G. Clutten spent three days near Dumfries in mid-July 1904 and found the Willow Beauty.

The first of the form perfumaria (Newman, 1865) which is of a slate-grey in colour, was found on moorland near Dumfries in mid-July 1904. Further records have occurred.