Description: Wingspan 42-54mm. Forewings variable in colour from yellowish brown through to dark brown; crosslines normally dark but still discernable. Hindwings brown with darker veins and paler fringe. Unknown in N. Ireland. In Britain flies in June and July and in late August to October after a brief aestivation.

World Distribution: Local in western Europe recorded as far north as Finland.

Irish Distribution: Recorded only once in N. Ireland at Murlough, Down. Only two other Irish records; Sligo in 1895 and Donegal in 1969.

Ecology: Adults show little interest in light, but visit the flowers of Red Valerian Centranthus ruber and Buddleia Buddleja davidii. The larval foodplant in the wild is not known.

Key Identification Features:

• Crosslines and broken line at outer margin of forewing
• Dark hindwings with white fringe

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

iNaturalist: Rhyacia simulans at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.