Species Details

ABH: 73.332

BF: 2122

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Noctuinae

Taxon: Diarsia brunnea

Authority: ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Vernacular: Purple Clay

Account: Common in broad-leaved woodland and wooded heathland throughout much of the British Isles Distinguished from female Barred Chestnut D. dahlii by the darker wavy band between the postmedian and subterminal lines, the absence of the pale subterminal line which is characteristic of that species, and the blacker quadrate mark between the reniform and orbicular stigmata. Pale individuals could be mistaken for northern Ingrailed Clay D. mendica, but these are often more extensively orange-tinted and marbled, and slightly smaller (MBGBI Vol 9). Larva feeds on Foxglove, Bilberry, Heather, Sallow, Bramble, Silver Birch and Downy Birch.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 36 — 45 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 30 May (1976) — 10 Aug (1975)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Polyphagous.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/diarsia-brunnea/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 347

Individuals: 632

Earliest Year: 1892

Latest Year: 2024

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