Triphosa dubitata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Description: Wingspan 38-48mm. Forewings pale brown with darker cross lines. Central band sometimes indistinct. Often has dark-coloured patches along the band and at the costa.

Key Identification Features:

• Central band
• Darkish areas near the costa
• Pale light-coloured hindwings
• Hibernating adults

Sets:

Flight Period: From the beginning of August to early September and after hibernation in May of the following year.

Status: Scarce and local, with very few recent records. Widely distributed, but seldom seen except occasionally at light in a few well-recorded localities in Fermanagh such as Correl Glen NNR, Legalough and Crom Estate. It has also been recorded from Clare Glen, Armagh in the early 1990s. There are old records from Lough Foyle, Londonderry, Stewartstown Tyrone and Rostrevor, Down.

Ecology: An elusive species found mainly in woodland, heathland and in limestone upland areas of Fermanagh. Adults are occasionally seen at light, usually as single individuals, mainly in late summer rather than after hibernation. The hibernating adults seem to prefer old buildings and out houses. Adults may occasionally be found on willow Salix catkins in early spring and Ivy Hedera helix and ragwort Senecio flowers in late summer. The larvae can be found from the end of May until early July on Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica and Alder Buckthorn Frangula alnus.

World Distribution: Across Europe east to Japan.

Bradley & Fletcher number: 1790 Agassiz number: 70.123

Additional information:

UK Moths account

Caterpillar: