Description: Wingspan 36-41 mm. Forewings are dark grey with a central darker band which widens towards the costa and is finely outlined in white. The stigmata are lighter than the central band and outlined in white. There is a small fine black broken line at the outer margin of the forewing. Hindwings are pale white. Adults have only been recorded during September in N. Ireland. Skinner gives early August to mid-September as the normal flight period in Britain.

World Distribution: Throughout western Europe from Spain to the Netherlands.

Irish Distribution: Scarce; only recorded in recent years from Rathlin Island, Antrim where it has been taken in reasonable numbers. It was previously recorded from Murlough National Nature Reserve, Down in 1978, Tollymore Forest, Down in 1988 and Londonderry in 1875.

Ecology: A species that was formally regarded as a subspecies of the Deep-brown Dart A. lunulenta. Adults inhabit grassy and rocky areas in coastal localities. Both sexes are attracted to light and also flowers, including Heather Calluna vulgaris and Ragwort Senecio jacobaea. The larvae feed from September until May of the following year on Heather. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Dark central band outlined in white
• Fine broken black line at the outer margin of the forewing
• White hindwings

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

iNaturalist: Aporophyla lueneburgensis at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.