70.25 BF1928

Belted Beauty Lycia zonaria

([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Wingspan 27-30 mm.

A highly localised species, occurring on sand hills or salt marshes in a few scattered localities in Cheshire, North Wales, North Lancashire and Scotland. The English and Welsh populations are ssp. brittanica, and those in Scotland ssp. atlantica.

The females are wingless, but the males fly in March and April, when they are attracted to light.

The larvae feed on a range of low-growing plants including creeping willow (Salix repens) and burnet rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia).