Description: Wingspan 30-36mm. Forewings are purplish brown. The stigmata are not distinctive. The antemedian and postmedian lines have a purplish hue and are quite distinctive. Hindwings are pale fuscous, with a broad darker terminal fascia and a small discal spot. Mid-May to early August.

World Distribution: Throughout Europe to the Arctic.

Irish Distribution: Confined mainly to southern counties. The only northern records are from Newton Crommelin and Rathlin Island in Antrim.

Ecology: An attractive species found in a variety of habitats, including damp woodland, bogs, fens and occasionally suburban areas, where it has been recorded from several gardens in the Greater Belfast area. Adults appear at light in small numbers and also visit flowers, especially campions, Red Valerian Centranthus ruber and Viper's Bugloss Echium vulgare. The larvae feed throughout July to early September on the seeds of campions Silene and Lychnis. It overwinters as a pupa.

Key Identification Features:

• Overall pinkish appearance
• Strong purplish crosslines
• Discal spot on hindwings

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

iNaturalist: Hadena rivularis at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.