Description: Wingspan 36-45 mm. Forewings are purplish brown, broad and well-arched, especially in the male. Forewings are marked with pale stigmata, a conspicuous black mark between the two stigmata and poorly-defined crosslines. Hindwings are greyish brown with a golden sheen and paler fringe. Beginning of June to mid-August.

World Distribution: Widespread throughout western Europe.

Irish Distribution: Widely distributed throughout all counties, but more frequently encountered in Down and north Armagh. In Fermanagh it has been recorded recently from several sites including Crom, Carrickyheenan, Carganamuck, Garvary Wood and Brookeborough.

Ecology: A species typically found in deciduous woodland, although it has been recorded from some suburban gardens and several bogs. Adults come frequently to light in small numbers. The larvae feed from September to late spring on Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, willow Salix spp. and birch Betula spp. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Purple sheen on forewings
• Black mark between stigmata
• Greyish brown hindwings with paler fringe

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

iNaturalist: Diarsia brunnea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.