Description: Wingspan 32-35 mm. Forewings are generally light whitish brown with a large darker brown patch which extends from the costal area to the base of the forewing and incorporates the reniform stigma. This stigma is light brown and clearly defined within the darker area. The postmedian line is made up of a series of small black dots. The subterminal line is not clearly defined. There is a distinctive wedge-shaped streak in the tornal area of the forewing. Hindwings pale whitish brown with fine dark veining. End of June to mid-August.

World Distribution: Eurasiatic; has a northern distribution in Europe from France to the Netherlands.

Irish Distribution: Common and widespread in parts of north Down and Armagh. Elsewhere sporadic, with records from just three sites in Fermanagh and one in Londonderry.

Ecology: A wetland species associated with fens, the damper parts of woodland and probably other similar sites. Adults come to light in small numbers and also visit flowers. The larvae feed from August until June on various grasses. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Dark dorsal patches along the costa
• Wedged-shaped streak on forewing
• Light-coloured stigmata

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

iNaturalist: Apamea ophiogramma at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.