70.276 BF1954

Bordered White Bupalus piniaria

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Wingspan c. 34-40 mm.

A sexually dimorphic species, the males having a white or yellow ground colour, bordered with black, and the females a more subdued variation of the pattern, in yellowish and brown. The yellow form tends to occur in the south, the white forms further north, but there is some gradation.

Flying in May and June, the species inhabits coniferous woodland throughout Britain, and can be very common in parts.

The larvae feed on pine (Pinus), especially Scots pine (P. sylvestris) and Corsican pine (P. nigra).