49.007 BF1005

Periclepsis cinctana

([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

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Wingspan c. 16 mm.

A rare species in the British Isles, formerly known only from one or two locations in Kent, where it was last noted in about 1950. More recently it was found in Scotland on Tiree, Inner Hebrides, in 1984.

The contrasting cream and brown markings give rise to a distinctive appearance and it is unlikely to be easily mistaken for anything else.

The preferred habitat is chalk downland and grassland, where it flies in the daytime during July.

The early stages are not described in Britain but on the continent it is known to feed on trefoils (Lotus), kidney vetch (Anthyllis), greenweed (Genista) and broom (Cytisus).