73.132 BF2354

Sandhill Rustic Luperina nickerlii

(Freyer, 1845)

Wingspan 32-42 mm.

A variable species, which has a number of distinct colonies locally around the coasts of England and Wales, that are described as separate subspecies.

The subspecies vary in appearance and foodplant according to location. These are: knilli in south-west Ireland, gueneei in North Wales and Lancashire, demuthi in south-east England and leechi in Cornwall.

The foodplants are sand couch (Agropyron junceiforme), common saltmarsh grass (Puccinellia maritima) and red fescue (Festuca rubra).