ABH: 32.018

Status:  Resident

Distribution/Abundance:  Common

Primary Habitat:  Wasteground, Grassland, Roadside verges

Wingspan:  21mm

Flight Period:  September, and up to April after hibernation

Observations: Larvae feed on a variety of umbelliferous plants. Adults are commonly found in light traps.

Confusion Species:  Agonopterix ciliella - adult live moths can be reliably separated from A. ciliella on colour. A. ciliella has a pink or slightly purplish pink tinge. At a minimum this is on the underside of the hindwing cilia then on the hind leg hairs. This colour can extent over the whole moth. A. heracliana never has this colour. The number of lines in the hindwing cilia is not a reliable character as A. heracliana can also have 5 but they are less strong. A. ciliella is larger than A. heracliana and the markings are more strongly contrasting.

L.O.N.:  The commonest of genus, plentiful at treacle. 02 August -May

First Record:  1908, Wallis