Sometimes referred to as the Mountain Burnet, the forewings of this moth are thinly-scaled with five distinct, though sometimes very small, red spots. Its montane habitat and hairy body help to distinguish this moth.
Active in sunshine with a low, erratic buzzing flight, but will hide amongst vegetation during bad weather. Attracted to flowers, particularly Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil, but also Mountain Everlasting and others.
Size and Family
- Family – Burnets and Foresters (Zygaenids)
- Small Sized
- UK BAP: Not listed
- Rare (Red Data Book category 3)
Caterpillar Food Plants
Crowberry, eating the terminal shoots and unripe berries. Also Cowberry, Bilberry and Heather.
Frequents the higher slopes, c.700-850m high, and summits of mountains, where the mainly prostrate vegetation consists of Crowberry, heathers and lichens with scattered Bilberry and Mountain Everlasting.
- Countries – Scotland
- Occurs in the UK as an endemic subspecies, subochracea, which is restricted to the eastern Cairngorms near Braemar, Aberdeenshire where it can be common.