Wood Tiger | Arctiidae |
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Parasemia plantaginis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Description: Wingspan 34-42mm. A colourful and somewhat variable species. Forewing black with a broad yellow streak emanating from the basal area almost to the outer margin of the forewing. The diagonal yellow markings on the forewing show much variation in size and width. Hindwings orange-yellow, with black streaks which are variable in size and width; outer margin black; abdomen orange-yellow with black dorsal stripe in both sexes.
Key Identification Features:
Sets: | ![]() |
Flight Period: Generally from early June until late July, occasionally early August.
Status: Widely distributed, but very local throughout all counties, especially Armagh north Down and mid-Antrim. Most often seen at coastal sites including Murlough NNR, Down, the Umbra, Londonderry and Fair Head, Antrim. Regular inland localities included Peatlands Park, Armagh, Teal Lough Londonderry/Tyrone and Monawilkin, Fermanagh.
Ecology: A colourful, day-flying species that is mainly associated with bogs, coastal and inland heaths and moorland. The males, which are often difficult to catch, fly during the day in warm sunshine seeking out newly-emerged females, which do not fly until late afternoon or after dark. Adults are frequently disturbed during the day from ground vegetation, especially on dull overcast conditions. This species may have declined in recent years from some of its former localities as a direct result of habitat destruction, though it is often absent from sites that appear suitable. The larvae feed from July until April of the following year on a wide variety of herbaceous plants. It overwinters as a larva.
World Distribution: Across the northern Palaearctic region.
Bradley & Fletcher number: 2056 Agassiz number: 72.025
Additional information:
Caterpillar: | ![]() |
Thompson, R. S. & Nelson, B., 2003 (Oct 2). [In] The Butterflies and Moths of Northern Ireland http://www.ulstermuseum.org.uk/lepidoptera/species.asp?item=6142 |
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