ABH: 72.053
BF: 2489
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Herminiinae
Taxon: Herminia tarsipennalis
Authority: Treitschke, 1835
Vernacular: Fan-foot
Account: Common in broad-leaved woodland, hedgerows and gardens throughout the British Isles. The most likely confusion species is Common Fan-foot Pechipogo strigilata, a rare and declining species, despite the name, which is paler and less deeply coloured, with fainter, less well-defined cross-lines; by comparison Z. tarsipennalis is a rich, deep brown, with dark, almost black, cross-lines. The current species is often mis-reported as the 'common' fan-foot, so please take care on record entry.
Also possibly confused with Small Fan-foot Herminia grisealis, from which told by the median line being dead straight in Small Fan-foot and the subterminal line curving towards the apex (wing-tip). In Fan-foot, this is the opposite - the median line is curved, whereas the subterminal line is straight. See the comparison image in the collection above for an comparative illustration of the two species together.
Larva feeds on the withered leaves of various deciduous trees and shrubs, including Beech and Oak.
Wingspan: 31 — 33 mm
Surrey Flight Period: 2 Jun (1992) — 24 Aug (1967)
Foodplant: Detritophagous.
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/herminia-tarsipennalis/
* Based on adult records only.
Records: 756
Individuals: 980
Earliest Year: 1886
Latest Year: 2025