Straw Belle

Straw Belles are straw-yellow, triangular shaped moths, with one diagonal stripe across their forewing. Only the males have feathered antennae whilst the wings of the females are more patterned with brown freckles. They can fly to light, mostly at the end of the night. Readily disturbed from chalk grassland tussocks by day.

Size and Family

• Family – Thorns, Beauties and allies (Ennomines)
• Small / Medium Sized 
• Wing Span Range (male to female) - 32-39mm

Conservation status

• UK BAP: Priority Species
• Red Data Book

Caterpillar Description

Overwinters as a larva, becoming full-fed in June. Pupates in a spinning in the sward. Caterpillars are camouflaged to match the colour of the long dead grass stems they sit on during the day.

Particular Caterpillar Food Plants

Common Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum), Sald Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) and probably other herbs.

Distribution

• Countries – England and Ireland
• They are only found on a handful of sites on the Southeast Kent coast, Kent Downs and Box Hill in Surrey.
• Distribution Trend Since 1970’s = Britain: Declining

Habitat

Warm, herb-rich chalk grassland with a mosaic of bare patches and taller grass tussocks.