- Lifespan
- 1 year (adult moths live a few weeks to a few months)
- Size & Weight
- wingspan 32–38 mm; 0.4–0.6 g
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, scrubland, hedgerows, and coastal grasslands with abundant low-growing herbaceous plants and bramble.
- UK Distribution
- Restricted to coastal areas of southern England, primarily Devon and Cornwall, with occasional records from Dorset and Sussex. Mainly resident, though populations may fluctuate; rare vagrant to other parts of southern England.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on various low plants including comfrey, nettles, and plantain; adults feed on nectar from flowers and occasionally overripe fruit.
- Predators
- Ground beetles, spiders, insectivorous birds, and small mammals preying on pupae and larvae.
- Mating Season
- June to August
- Breeding
- Females lay clusters of eggs on food plants; larvae are gregarious and feed openly in spring; pupation occurs in loose cocoons among leaf litter; single generation per year.
- Behaviour
- Diurnal and relatively sluggish fliers, often seen resting on vegetation in warm, sheltered spots. Males patrol low vegetation searching for females. Larvae are hairy and conspicuously patterned in black and yellow, warning of unpalatability.