BURNISHED BRASS |
DIACHRYSIA CHRYSITIS |
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| Fig 1 |
ADULT: Wingspan - 27 - 35mm. A stunning moth and always a joy to see. The hooked forewing has a warm brown colouration that is etched with various black lines but it is the unmistakable brassy yellow-green metallic bands that make this a stunning moth. Hindwings dark fuscous with a yellow fringe. The orange chestnut edge and the prominent tuft of the thorax all make this an easy moth to identify in the field. CHRYSALIS: Found in loose cocoon on the undersides of leaves. The pupa is black with a long tongue case. LARVA: Green with paler striping and spots. Feeds on various herbaceous plants including Dead-Nettles, Stinging Nettle, Marjoram and Burdock. BEHAVIOUR: Attracted to light and flowers such as Red Valerian and Honeysuckle. HABITAT: Waste ground, parks, gardens, roadsides, hedgerows. FLIGHT PERIOD: Double brooded between June and September. STATUS: Common throughout. |