Scientific name: Lycia lapponaria

March - May. Highlands of Scotland. Medium-sized. Male has grey semi-transparent wings, female wingless. Often found near bog myrtle, bilberry and heather. Boggy moorland, near streams, and drier heathland.

Similar in appearance to the Belted Beauty, but with orange spots along the length of abdomen instead of rings around it.  The two species also differ in their distribution and habitat preferences. Males and females can easily be found at rest during the day on fence posts, rocks and stems.

Size and Family

• Family – Thorns, Beauties and allies (Ennomines)
• Medium Sized 

Conservation status

• UK BAP: Priority Species
• UK Status: Scarce (Nationally Scarce A)

Particular Caterpillar Food Plants

Prefers Bog Myrtle, but also frequently found on Bilberry, Eared Willow, Heather, Bell Heather and Cross-leaved Heath.

Distribution

• Countries –  Scotland
• Found only in the central Scottish Highlands, particularly around Rannoch and Upper Speyside. Recently discovered in several new areas including the Dee river system and with scattered records at Flanders Moss, in Wester Ross and west towards Fort William and the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.

Habitat

Similar species