Description: Wingspan 44-52 mm. Forewings greyish brown and pointed at the apex. The antemedian and postmedian lines are usually indistinct. Hindwings fuscous with darker veining and fringe lighter than base colour. Females are darker than males. Mid to late May.

World Distribution: Throughout western Europe from Spain to southern Sweden.

Irish Distribution: Rare and not recorded since the early 1990s when it was taken at Ballymacormick Point and Belvoir Park, Down. The only other record is from Ballymacilrany, Antrim where it was taken by Capt W.S. Wright in the early 1950s.

Ecology: A species that has a mainly coastal distribution in Ireland, but is also found on waste ground and marginal edges of arable land inland. Adults are attracted to light and flowers, especially campions Silene spp. It will often rest by day on fence posts and tree trunks. The larvae feed throughout June and July on mayweeds Tripleurospermum and Matricaria spp. It overwinters as a pupa.

Key Identification Features:

• Narrow pointed forewings
• Rests with its wings held tightly over its body
• Dark hindwings

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

iNaturalist: Cucullia chamomillae at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.