Description: Wingspan 32-38 mm. Forewings dark orange with fine dark brown crosslines. There is a darker suffusion at the termenal area of the wing. Hindwings cream-coloured, with a dark submarginal band and dark brown veining. End of June to late July.

World Distribution: Holarctic; widespread from the Mediterranean through northern Europe as far north as Norway and Finland.

Irish Distribution: Confined mainly to coastal areas of Down, especially at Killard Point National Nature Reserve, where it was last recorded in 1996. It has still to be proved whether these records are from a resident population. It has also been recorded inland at Aughanlig in 1978 and Loughgall in Armagh in 1992. These records probably refer to migrants.

Ecology: A summer species found mainly in coastal dunes and heaths. Adults are attracted to light and also to the flowers of campions Silene spp. and Red Valerian Centranthus ruber. The larvae feed from late July and throughout August on Common Restharrow Ononis repens. It overwinters as a pupa.

Key Identification Features:

• A distinctive species in terms of appearance
• Orange-coloured forewings with darker crosslines
• Cream-coloured hindwings with dark submarginal bands

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

iNaturalist: Pyrrhia umbra at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.