Species Details

ABH: 72.045

BF: 2050

Family: Erebidae

Subfamily: Arctiinae

Taxon: Eilema lurideola

Authority: (Zincken, 1817)

Vernacular: Common Footman

Account: Common wherever there are lichens, in gardens, farmland, marshes and woodland throughout England, Wales and southern Scotland. Wing-shape and posture of live specimens is a far more reliable way of separating the various Eilema species than examination of prepared specimens, and familiarity with E. lurideola is the key to the identification of the other Eilema species; the most likely confusion species is Dingy Footman E. griseola, which see. Larva feeds mainly on various lichens, perhaps also on the foliage of various trees and bushes, including Hawthorn and Dogwood.

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: 31 — 38 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 8 Jun (2004) — 31 Aug (1962)

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

Foodplant:

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/eilema-lurideola/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 985

Individuals: 1667

Earliest Year: 1910

Latest Year: 2025

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