A distinctive small orange-brown moth. Both sexes have darker brownish crosslines on the wings, although the female is usually more strongly marked than the male. The male flies in hot sunshine, or can be disturbed from its foodplant in dull weather.

Size and Family

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

Conservation status

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

Caterpillar Food Plants

Caterpillars feed on Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), possibly also Cowberry (V. vitis-idaea).

Habitat

Frequents clearings in long-established native pine and birch woodland with Bilberry ground cover. Also found in more open areas and in areas of birch regeneration. Prefers a substantial growth of Bilberry. An occasional immigrant, it can occur away from its breeding habitat.

Distribution

  • Countries – Scotland
  • Well distributed, and occasionally found in numbers, in central Scotland. It is found in Perthshire east to Aberdeenshire and north to Ross-shire. A few examples have been found elsewhere in the country, mostly eastern England and south-eastern Scotland, where the species is a presumed immigrant.
 
Rannoch Looper - Stuart Read

Rannoch Looper

Rannoch Looper by Mark Parsons

Rannoch Looper