Perizoma blandiata (Denis & Schiffermuller, 1775)

Description: Wingspan 20-24mm. Adults have whitish forewings, a pale central band with a dark round spot on the costa. There is also a broad greyish line along the outer margin of the forewings.

Key Identification Features:

• Pale central band
• Dark patch near costa, small discal spot
• Pale white hindwings

Sets:

Flight Period: Adults have only been recorded in late May and early August.

Status: A rare, mainly coastal species, that had not been seen for many years until it was discovered at Lisblake Bog, Fermanagh in 1992. There were no other records until 1998 when it was found in good numbers at the Umbra, Londonderry. Despite casual trapping at this locality over the last few years no other adults have been taken. It was also recorded from Rathlin Island in the late 1980s and previously Glenarm, Antrim, Lough Fea, Tyrone and Rostrevor and Newcastle, Down.

Ecology: A species associated with coastal grassland and moorland. Adults are attracted to light in small numbers. The larvae can be found in September on the seeds of eyebrights Euphrasia spp. It overwinters as a pupa.

World Distribution: Northern and central Europe as far as Asia.

Bradley & Fletcher number: 1806 Agassiz number: 70.136

Additional information:

UK Moths account

Caterpillar: