-
Argent & Sable -
Argent & Sable
-
Argent & Sable -
Argent & Sable
Scientific nameRheumaptera hastata
Flies by day, particularly in warm or sunny conditions
Flies from May to early July, but extending into the rest of July in Scotland.
Size and Family
- Family – Carpets and Allies (Larentiines)
- Small / Medium Sized
- Wing Span Range (male to female) - 30-38mm
Conservation status
- UK BAPPriority Species
- Nationally Scarce
Caterpillar Description
Overwinters as a pupa, the larva feeds between spun leaves from late May to early September (in Scotland)
Particular Caterpillar Food Plants
Birch (Betula spp.), Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale); also occasionally on sallow (Salix spp.)
Distribution
- Countries – England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland
- Widely distributed in western Scotland, and perhaps overlooked in some areas, with scattered sites in north Wales, northern England, the West Midlands and now very locally in southern England.Formerly more widespread in England and Wales. Also found in Northern Ireland.
- Distribution Trend Since 1970’s = BritainDeclining
Habitat
Coppiced deciduous woodland, boggy moorland and on one site in the Somerset Levels