Description: Wingspan 39-46 mm. Adults have an green metallic sheen to the forewings. They are marked with a black basal streak, a black antemedian line, a brown postmedian line brown which is edged with black, a wide, pale subterminal fascia and a well-defined white subtornal line. Hindwings are pale fuscous, basally becoming darker towards the outer margin. Beginning of September until late October.

World Distribution: Throughout western Europe to central Scandinavia.

Irish Distribution: Common and widespread in the southern and eastern counties but more local and sporadic in the west and north.

Ecology: An early autumn species found in woodland edges, clearings, hedgerows and gardens. Adults appear commonly at light and will also feed at Ivy Hedera helix blossom and decaying fruit. The larvae feed from April until June on Blackthorn Prunus spinosa, Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, birch Betula spp. and willow Salix spp. It overwinters as an egg.

Key Identification Features:

• Flight Period
• Overall metallic green appearance
• Subtornal mark on the distal edge of the forewing

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

iNaturalist: Allophyes oxyacanthae at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.