Erebidae

72.023 Clouded Buff Diacrisia sannio (Linnaeus, 1758)

Local

Similar species: Both sexes are unlikely to be mistaken for any other British or Irish species.

Forewing: M 19 to 22mm, F 17 to 20mm

Habitats: Heathland, moorland, bogs and occasionally calcareous grassland and woodland clearings.

Habits: The male is easily disturbed and flies both in sunshine and at night, when it comes to light. The female is occasionally found at rest during the day, but is mainly nocturnal and comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on Heather, Hedge Bedstraw and other bedstraws, Devil's-bit Scabious, Sheep's Sorrel, Common Dog-violet, plantains and other herbaceous plants. It pupates spun up on the foodplant or in the leaf litter.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on dandelion, hawkweeds, hawk-bits, clovers, knot-grass, willows and Alder.