This brightly coloured small moth is most frequently pink with yellow patches and margins, and a fine purple border. However, almost entirely pink individuals with small yellow spots can occur.

Flies from dusk onwards, but is easily disturbed from vegetation during the day.

Size and Family

  • Family – Waves (Sterrhines)
  • Small Sized 

Conservation status

  • UK BAP: Not listed
  • Scarce ( Nationally Scarce B)

Caterpillar Food Plants

Caterpillars feed on Marsh Cinquefoil (Comarum palustre)

Habitat

Frequents damp habitats including heaths, fens and mosses.

Distribution

  • Countries – England, Wales
  • Not recorded from Scotland, being of restricted distributioon in the rest of Britain, including east Dorset and Hampshire, Surrey, parts of East Anglia, Shropshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.  Very restricted to parts of the south-west and west of Ireland.
 
Purple-bordered Gold - Ilia Ustyantsev

Purple-bordered Gold

Purple-bordered Gold - Tim Melling

Purple-bordered Gold

Purple-bordered Gold - Garry Barlow

Purple-bordered Gold

Purple-bordered Gold - Marcell Kárpáti

Purple-bordered Gold


Similar species