Description: Wingspan 40-46 mm. The forewings have a marbled appearance and range from light to dark reddish brown. Most specimens have a dark tornal streak and also a small black basal streak. The thorax is dark and crested. Stigmata are similar to the ground colour and indistinct. Crosslines are weak and poorly defined. Hindwings are reddish brown and darker towards the outer margin with well defined veining. The fringe is pale whitish brown. Mid-June to early August.

World Distribution: Local throughout western Europe as far north as the Baltic Islands and southern Sweden.

Irish Distribution: Widely distributed but local. Locations with recent records include Seaforde Demesne and Belvoir Park, Down; Peatlands Park, Armagh, Rathlin Island, Antrim and Crom Estate and Marble Arch National Nature Reserve, Fermanagh.

Ecology: An early summer species found in woodland and, occasionally, suburban gardens. Adults come sparingly to light. They are known to feed on honeydew. The larvae feed from August to the early March on Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata and other grasses. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Marbled appearance of forewings
• Crested thorax
• Black basal streak

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

iNaturalist: Apamea epomidion at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.