Geometridae

70.228 Dark Bordered Beauty Epione vespertaria (Linnaeus, 1767)

RDB

Similar species: The female of this species has paler creamy yellow wings with darker borders. Bordered Beauty Epione repandaria is a paler moth but also has lighter outer borders to the wings.

Forewing: 12 to 14mm

Habitats: Damp open scrubby grassland and heathland, usually in the shelter of trees.

Habits: The moth flies at dawn and through sunrise. The male flies on sunny afternoons and both sexes are easily disturbed in the day. The moth comes to light in the early hours of the morning.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on Creeping Willow and low Aspen less than 50cm tall. In captivity it will accept other sallows. It pupates in a spinning on the foodplant or in the leaf litter.