Description: Wingspan 36-42mm. According to Skinner the adults are quite variable with dark and pale forms frequent throughout its range. Not known in N. Ireland. Skinner gives late April and May as the main flight period.

World Distribution: Throughout Europe and Japan.

Irish Distribution: Langham recorded this rare heathland species in 1914 from Portaferry Down, which remains the only known record for N. Ireland. Very little is known about its habits elsewhere in Ireland where it is known to occur mainly in western counties of Donegal, Sligo, Galway, Kerry and also in Meath and Offaly. Its continued existence in N. Ireland must be considered doubtful. There is always a chance that an undetected population may exist in the west, possibly in Fermanagh, which seems most likely in view of its westerly distribution in Ireland.

Ecology: Skinner states that the adults are attracted to light in small numbers and may occasionally be found by day resting on the trunks of trees and fence posts. The larvae can be found from late June to August on Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, Bog Myrtle Myrica gale and birch Betula spp. It overwinters in the pupal stage.

Key Identification Features:

• Wavy crosslines on all wings
• Hindwings slightly paler than forewings
• Different colour forms
• Size and flight period

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

iNaturalist: Cleora cinctaria at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.