Description: Wingspan 38-44 mm. Forewings pale whitish brown with a golden sheen. The median area is slightly darker than the rest of the wing. The post median fascia is also a darker shade and there is a clearly defined subapical streak. The stigmata are normally large and finely outlined in white resembling the figure eight. Hindwings fuscous with darker veining. Late June to early August.

World Distribution: Central and south-eastern Europe as far north as Finland.

Irish Distribution: A very rare immigrant, recorded only once from a mature garden in Loughgall, Armagh in 1971. In southern Ireland it is resident in the Dublin area.

Ecology: A species found commonly in southern Europe. Adults are attracted to light and the flowers of Red Valerian Centranthus ruber and Buddleia Buddleja davidii. The larvae feed during the autumn until June of the following year on cultivated species of Delphinium. It overwinters as a small larva.

Key Identification Features:

• Key Identification Features:Gold sheen to the forewings
• Dark postmedian fascia and subapical streak
• Conspicuous stigmata

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

iNaturalist: Polychrysia moneta at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.