Arctiidae (Lithosiinae)
2035 Thumatha senex - Round-winged Muslin
Status: Rare.
Habitat/Food plant: Damps areas, marshes, fens bogs etc. The larval food plants are lichens and mosses growing on the ground. Also on algae found low down on the stems of marsh plants.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from late June till August.
Earliest date: 30th June 2006.
Latest date: 19th July 2006.
Peak count: Singles only.
2037 Miltochrista miniata - Rosy Footman
Status: Scarce.
Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, the larval food plants are Dog Lichen and other lichens found growing on trees.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from mid June till August.
Earliest date: 17th July 2008.
Latest date: 8th July 2014.
Peak count: Singles only.
2039 Atolmis rubricollis - Red-necked Footman
Status: Scarce.
Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, the larval food plants are Lichens growing on Oak, birch, beech, larch, spruce etc.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in June and July.
Earliest date: 14th June 2003.
Latest date: 31st July 2001.
Peak count: Singles only.
2040 Cybosia mesomella - Four-dotted Footman
Status: Rare.
Habitat/Food plant: Open woodland, damp grassland etc. The larval food plants are Algae and Lichens also Heathers and Sallows etc.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from mid June till August.
Earliest date: n/a.
Latest date: n/a.
Peak count: n/a.
2043 Eilema sororcula - Orange Footman
Status: Uncommon.
Habitat/Food plant: Mainly mature Oak and Beech woodland but also dense Blackthorn scrub. The larval food plants are Lichens growing and trees and Blackthorn.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in May and June.
The annual counts have been:
1999 = 0. 2000 = 0. 2001 = 0. 2002 = 0. 2003 = 1. 2004 = 0. 2005 = 0. 2006 = 1. 2007 = 0. 2008 = 1. 2009 = 0.
2010 = 1. 2011 = 3. 2012 = 1. 2013 = 0. 2014 = 0. 2015 = 1. 2016 = 1.
Earliest date: 10th May 2012.
Latest date: 20th July 2015.
Peak count: Singles only.
2044 Eilema griseola - Dingy Footman
Usual grey type
The less common orange form, f.stramineola.
Status: Regular in small numbers.
Habitat/Food plant: Damp and marshy places, the larval food plants are Lichens and Algae growing on tress and bushes.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.
Earliest date: 25th June 2006.
Latest date: 27th August 2012.
Peak count: 6 moths in 2006.
2045 Eilema caniola - Hoary Footman
This one showed up on 3rd August 2014.
Status: Rare, probably migrants here?
Habitat/Food plant: Rocky coastlines, beaches etc. The larval food plants are Algae and Lichens found growing on rocks etc. Also Bird's-foot Trefoil and related plants.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from July till September.
Earliest date: 18th August 2012.
Latest date: 10th September 2010.
Peak count: Singles only.
2046 Eilema pygmaeola pygmaeola - Pigmy Footman
Pigmy Footman of the form f.pallifrons
Status: Rare.
Habitat/Food plant: Coastal sand dunes, the larval food plants are lichens and algae found growing on stones, posts and plants.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.
Earliest date: n/a.
Latest date: n/a.
Peak count: n/a.
2047 Eilema complana - Scarce Footman
Status: Common.
Habitat/Food plant: Wide ranging, the larvae feeding on Lichens and algae found growing on rocks.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.
Earliest date: 24th June 2010.
Latest date: 31st August 2012.
Peak count: 10 moths, on 28th July 2003.
2049 Eilema depressa - Buff Footman
Status: Rare but increasing on the Vile Isle during recent years ...
Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, the larval food plants are Lichens and algae growing on trees.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.
Earliest date: n/a.
Latest date: n/a.
Peak count: n/a.
2050 Eilema lurideola - Common Footman
Status: Common.
Habitat/Food plant: Most lowland habitats. The larval food plants are Lichens and algae, also Hawthorn, Travelers Joy and Bramble.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from late June till August.
Earliest date: 1st June 2014.
Latest date: 28th August 2005.
Peak count: 46 moths, on 7th July 2012 and 62 moths on 26th July 2013.
2051 Lithosia quadra - Four-spotted Footman
The male
The female
Status: Scarce but on the increase.
Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, the larval food plants are Dog Lichen and other lichens found growing on trees.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from July till September.
The annual counts have been: Eight records (nine moths) which have turned up once in June, twice in September and five times in October.
1999 = 0. 2000 = 0. 2001 = 0. 2002 = 0. 2003 = 0. 2004 = 0. 2005 = 0. 2006 = 1. 2007 = 0. 2008 = 3. 2009 = 0.
2010 = 0. 2011 = 0. 2012 = 1. 2013 = 4. 2014 = 1. 2015 = 0. 2016 = 1.
Earliest date: 30th June 2012.
Latest date: 17th October 2013.
Peak count: 2 moths, on 7th October 2008.
Arctiinae
2057 Arctia caja - Garden Tiger
Status: Once regular, showing a steady decline from the middle 2000's.
Habitat/Food plant: Wide ranging in both use of habitat and food plants, which included Common Nettle, Broad-leaved Dock, Burdocks, Hound's-tongue etc.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in July and August.
The annual counts have been:
1999 = 12. 2000 = 20+. 2001 = 20+. 2002 = 15+. 2003 = 10. 2004 = 0. 2005 = 3. 2006 = 1. 2007 = 0. 2008 = 7. 2009 = 1.
2010 = 3. 2011 = 0. 2012 = 5. 2013 = 2. 2014 = 3. 2015 = 2. 2016 = 1.
Earliest date:
Latest date:
Peak count:
2058 Arctia villica - Cream-spot Tiger
Status: Rare.
Habitat/Food plant: Open ground on the coast. The larval food plants include White Dead-nettle, Chickweeds, Hawkweeds, Ragworts and Black Horehound.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from late May till July.
Earliest date: n/a.
Latest date: n/a.
Peak count: n/a.
Status: Common.
Habitat/Food plant: Both very wide ranging.
Broods/flight period: Usually single brooded, flying from April/May till July. Occasionally September and October too, though not very often.
Earliest date: 18th April 2007.
Latest date: 1st generation till 14th July (in 2015) but I have on two occasions taken second generation moths, on 12th August 2003 and 2nd October 2004.
Peak count: 14 moths, in 2009.
2061 Spilosoma luteum - Buff Ermine
Status: Common.
Habitat/Food plant: Both extremely varied.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from May till July.
Earliest date: 5th April 2014.
Latest date: 19th September 2014. I have on two occasions taken late moths, presumably a second generation things on 27th October 2010 and 6th October 2015.
Peak count: 32 moths in 2008 and 2013.
2062 Spilosoma urticae - Water Ermine
Status: Rare.
Habitat/Food plant: Marshes, wet meadows, ditches etc. The larval food plants include Water Mint, Water Dock, Yellow Loosestrife, Lousewort and Yellow Iris.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing in June and July.
Earliest date: 3rd June in 2003 and 2004.
Latest date: 18th June 2003.
Peak count: Singles only.
2063 Diaphora mendica - Muslin Moth
Status: Fairly common.
Habitat/Food plant: Many open habitats, the larvae eating many different herbaceous plants.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in May and June.
Earliest date: 10th April 2009 and 2014.
Latest date: 3rd June in 2006 and 2007.
Peak count: Six moths, in 2011.
2064 Phragmatobia fuliginosa fuliginosa - Ruby Tiger
Status: Fairly common.
Habitat/Food plant: Most open habitats are used ... the larval food plants are varied.
Broods/flight period: Double brooded, flying from April till June then again from July till September.
Earliest date: 19th April 2011.
Latest date: 20th September 2005.
Peak count: 10 moths, in 2009 and 2010.
2069 Tyria jocobaeae - Cinnabar
Status: Almost annual.
Habitat/Food plant: Well drained open areas where Ragwort, the larval food plant grows.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from May till July/August.
The annual counts have been:
1999 = 0. 2000 = 0. 2001 = 4. 2002 = 0. 2003 = 5. 2004 = 4. 2005 = 2. 2006 = 2. 2007 = 3. 2008 = 1. 2009 = 2.
2010 = 1. 2011 = 5. 2012 = 1. 2013 = 0. 2014 = 2. 2015 = 2. 2016 = 0.
Earliest date: 9th May 2011.
Latest date: 16th July 2015.
Peak count: 2 moths, on 17th June 2005 and 7th June 2006.
Nolidae
2076 Meganola albula - Kent Black Arches
Status: Scarce.
Habitat/Food plant: Coastal heathland, salt marshes, shingle and sandy beaches.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from late June till August.
The annual counts have been:
1999 = 0. 2000 = 0. 2001 = 0. 2002 = 0. 2003 = 0. 2004 = 1. 2005 = 5. 2006 = 2. 2007 = 3. 2008 = 0. 2009 = 2.
2010 = 0. 2011 = 0. 2012 = 0. 2013 = 0. 2014 = 0. 2015 = 1. 2016 = 1.
Earliest date: 10th July 2007.
Latest date: 3rd August 2004.
Peak count: 2 moths, on 24th July 2006 and 16th July 2007.
2077 Nola cucullatella - Short-cloaked Moth
Status: Irregular here, though they do occur in very small numbers in most years.
Habitat/Food plant: Hedgerows, scrub and woodland. The larval food plants are Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Apple, Pear and Plum.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in June and July.
The approximate annual counts have been:
1999 = 0. 2000 = 0. 2001 = 3. 2002 = 2. 2003 = 0. 2004 = 3. 2005 = 0. 2006 = 2. 2007 = 2. 2008 = 3. 2009 = 3.
2010 = 6. 2011 = 1. 2012 = 1. 2013 = 5. 2014 = 2. 2015 = 2. 2016 = 0.
Earliest date: 15th June 2007.
Latest date: 30th July 2013.
Peak count: 2 on 9th July 2004 and ??th July 2010.
2078 Nola confusalis - Least Black Arches
Status: Irregular.
Habitat/Food plant: Woodland, hedgerows, parkland etc.
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing in May and June.
The approximate annual counts have been:
1999 = 0. 2000 = 1. 2001 = 8. 2002 = 1. 2003 = 3. 2004 = 2. 2005 = 1. 2006 = 3. 2007 = 2. 2008 = 0. 2009 = 0.
2010 = 3. 2011 = 1. 2012 = 2. 2013 = 0. 2014 = 4. 2015 = 0. 2016 = 0.
Earliest date: 2nd April 2014.
Latest date: 11th June 2006.
Peak count: 2 moths on three dates in 2001 and once in 2014.
2079 Nola aerugula - Scarce Black Arches
Status: Rare migrant.
Habitat/Food plant:
Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from late June till August.
One record taken on 25th July 2016.
Earliest date: n/a
Latest date: n/a
Peak count: n/a
