73.105 BF2301 - Bird's Wing - Noctuidae - Dypterygia scabriuscula

73.105 BF2301 - Noctuidae - Xyleninae - Dypterygia scabriuscula - Bird's Wing

Adult Macro: CAT 1 - Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others -

- click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

- Rare / Uncommon / Scarce

Taxonomy: Macro >> Noctuidae

ID Difficulty: green

- easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.

ID pointers: An unmistakable moth. Diagnostic feature is the dark chocolate brown wing with a broad creamy-brown streak running from the head straight down the moths back then flaring out, like a pair of bird’s wings, towards the outer area of the forewing.

Distribution: (First record: 1971 ) - (Last record: 24/07/2024 at Stonebroom ) - Described as a rare vagrant in 1986 with only 4 records from Derbyshire, the first in 1971. Now a resident that is generally very uncommon and only locally distributed in the county. Occurs in very small numbers most years, sometimes in single figures, being most frequently encountered in the Trent Valley. Seems to be very weather dependent, not recorded in wet seasons. During the period 2013-2018 it was only reported from four sites (all in 2014) all single moths.

Flight Period: June / July / - On the wing June – July.

Moth Activity: Nocturnal

Wingspan: 32-37mm
Forewing: 16mm

Food Plant: Dock (Rumex) and knotgrass (Polygonum).

Last Recorded Date: 24/07/2024

Last Recorded By: Jonathan Bradley

Last Recorded General Area: Stonebroom

First Recorded Year: 1971