Species Details

ABH: 73.333

BF: 2120

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Noctuinae

Taxon: Diarsia mendica

=Diarsia mendica mendica

=Diarsia mendica orkneyensis

=Diarsia mendica thulei

Authority: (Fabricius, 1775)

Vernacular: Ingrailed Clay

Account: Common in woodland, gardens and heathland throughout the British Isles. Very variable, and can be confused with a number of other species, but general pattern sufficiently distinct to enable identification in most cases; a useful field mark, sometimes absent, is the small black dot between the orbicular stigma and dorsum, a feature shared by the superficially similar Small Square-spot D. rubi. Larva feeds on Primrose, Hawthorn, Hazel, Blackthorn and other woody plants.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 28 — 36 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 7 May (2011) — 9 Aug (2012)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Polyphagous.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/diarsia-mendica/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 800

Individuals: 1378

Earliest Year: 1840

Latest Year: 2025

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