Description: Wingspan 28-34 mm. A nervous and difficult moth to approach. Forewings purplish brown with a dark median fascia outlined with a pale line; there is also a small dark patch near the costa. The antemedian line is pale and running obliquely across the wing. The postmedian line is broad and edged with a pale fine line. Hindwings dark brown in the basal region and along to the distal aspect of the tornus. The termen area is orange-brown with dark brown band running almost to the top of the wing. Mid-April to the end of June.

World Distribution: Eurasiatic; common and widespread throughout western Europe as far north as Sweden and Finland.

Irish Distribution: Restricted to the limestone grasslands of Fermanagh where it can be locally common. Outside Fermanagh it is extremely local, confined to just a few sites in Armagh including Milford railway cutting, Navan Fort, and Thompson's Quarry. It was seen in the mid 1970s at Rich Hill railway station.

Ecology: A small dayflying species most active in sunshine and difficult to approach. Adults are mainly found in limestone grassland and wet meadows. The larvae feed during July and August on clovers Trifolium spp. and trefoils Lotus spp. It overwinters as a pupa.

Key Identification Features:

• Active during sunshine
• Dark apical patches on forewings
• Orange markings on hindwings

Distribution Map from NBN: Euclidea glyphica at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Euclidea glyphica at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.