Description: Wingspan 31-35 mm. Forewings light brown appearing rough-scaled coarse and granular. Stigmata large and clearly defined, slightly darker than base colour and outlined with a fine pale line. Antemedian line dark and dentate extending obliquely from the costa to the dorsum; postmedian line curved towards the dorsum. Subterminal line dark and conspicuous. Late June until mid-August.

World Distribution: Eurasiatic: Widespread throughout western Europe from Spain to central Sweden.

Irish Distribution: Confined mainly to the south and east where it is not uncommon in some well-known sites. It is rare elsewhere with on a few recent records from Crom Estate and Garvary Wood Fermanagh and Rathlin Island in Antrim.

Ecology: A lowland species found mainly in open habitats. Adults remain concealed by day and are active after dark when they come to light in small numbers. The larvae are nocturnal and feed from September until April on plantain, dock and dandelion. It overwinters as a larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Texture of the forewings
• Well defined stigmata
• Dark antemedian and post median lines

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

iNaturalist: Hoplodrina alsines at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.