Description: Wingspan 25-29mm. Adults forewings generally green with a deeper green central band which is edged with white. The costa of the forewings has dark patches. The green pigment fades soon after emergence. End of May to early September.

World Distribution: Northern and central Europe as far east as Russia.

Irish Distribution: Common and widespread throughout all counties including Rathlin Island.

Ecology: An attractive moth found in a wide variety of habitats particularly woodland margins and clearings. Adults come frequently to light in small numbers. It can be flushed from the vegetation during the day or seen at rest on tree trunks. The larvae can be found from August to May on various bedstraws Galium spp. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Unlikely to be confused with any other species

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

iNaturalist: Colostygia pectinataria at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.