This moth is most easily distinguished from other sallows by the deep red or pinkish-brown head and shoulders in contrast to the yellow thorax. The bright orange-yellow forewing is slightly hooked with deep-red or reddish-brown markings forming a bar from the leading to trailing edge.

They overwinter as eggs, laid in short rows on twigs close to the tree buds. The larvae can be found between late March and early June.

Size and Family

  • Family – Sharks, shoulder-knots, chestnuts, sallows and allies (Noctuidae)
  • Small Sized
  • Wingspan Range – 26-32mm

Conservation status

  • UK BAP: Not listed
  • Common

Caterpillar Food Plants

Feeds on the catkins of sallows and poplars, and when more mature on herbaceous plants such as docks.

Habitat

Most frequent in broadleaved woodland, marshes and fens but also occurs in other places where the foodplant grows including gardens.

Distribution

  • Countries – England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland
  • Common and well distributed throughout most of Britain, the Isle of Man and Ireland. Local and occasional in the Channel Islands. 
Pink-barred Sallow - Ben Sale

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow - Allan Drewitt

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow - Tapio Kujala

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow - Tapio Kujala

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow - Patrick Clement

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow - Ben Sale

Pink-barred Sallow

Pink-barred Sallow (caterpillar) - Dave Shenton

Pink-barred Sallow (caterpillar)