Wingspan 25 to 30 mm. A very beautiful and distinctive moth. 

Although distinctive in appearance, photographic evidence is requested to support records for this species due to its rarity in Britain at present.

Dry grassland.  It occurs in Britain as a migrant from mainland Europe and is most often recorded near to the coast.

Double-brooded on the continent; May to June and August to September

The larvae feed on Creeping Thistle, no evidence of breeding in the UK.

This rare migrant was first noted in Britain when an individual was trapped at Portland in Dorset, in August 2004. Subsequent investigation revealed that a number of individuals appeared around the south coast around this time, some predating the initial record, and in fact a hitherto misidentified specimen was unearthed from 2001. The species has since occurred on a number of occasions in the south and south-east of England. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as a migrant.

Rare migrant in Leicestershire and Rutland. The Rutland Water, Lyndon Centre record of July 2019 is believed to be the first for VC55.