72.028 BF2058a

Patton's Tiger Hyphoraia testudinaria

(Geoffroy, 1785)

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Wingspan c.40mm.

A male of this species (illustrated) was trapped at light in West Sussex in May 2005, representing the first record for the British Isles, and has been given its vernacular name in honour of the captor, Sarah Patton. A second specimen was trapped in Devon in June 2006.

The species' normal range is southern Europe, where it typically inhabits high mountainous regions and flies between May and July.

The larvae feed on a number of low plants including plantain (Plantago) and dock (Rumex).