Description: Wingspan 25-30 mm. Forewings rosy grey with a straight transverse line distal to the reniform stigma. The area between the antemedian and the postmedian line gives the impression of a distinct median band. The terminal area is a distinct rosy brown. There is a small subbasal line extending from the costa to the central area of the forewing. The subterminal line is pale edged with red; fringe rosy fuscous. Hindwings pale fuscous with darker veins and whitish fringe. Mid-June to the start of September.

World Distribution: Eurasiatic: widely distributed but local in western Europe and restricted to coastal localities further north.

Irish Distribution: Widespread and fairly common across southern counties particularly along the Lagan Valley and inland around Lough Neagh. Elsewhere sporadic and reported mainly from coastal localities on the north Antrim coast.

Ecology: A pretty grassland species found on a wide variety of habitats including fens, and coastal grassland. The adults are attracted to light and also flowers, in particular Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea. The larvae feed from August to May on various grasses. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• General rosy appearance of the moth
• Transverse line across the forewing
• Small subbasal line from the costa to the central area of forewing

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

iNaturalist: Mesoligia literosa at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.