Species Details

ABH: 72.021

BF: 2062

Family: Erebidae

Subfamily: Arctiinae

Taxon: Spilosoma urticae

Authority: (Esper, 1789)

Vernacular: Water Ermine

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) in fens, water meadows and marshes, south and east of a line from the Wash to the Severn May be confused with very plain forms of White Ermine S. lubricipeda, but Water Ermine has the wings pure white, with very few black dots on the forewing and the basal segment of the labial palpus yellow (MBGBI Vol 9). Also superficially similar to Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica, but Water Ermine has abdomen yellow. A photograph or specimen will be required for future records to be accepted. Larva feeds on Water Mint, Water Dock, Yellow Loosestrife and Yellow Iris, over-wintering as a pupa.
Update: Add recording requirements (July 2020)

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: 38 — 46 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 5 Jun (1909) — 14 Jul (1956)

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

Foodplant: Lysimachia vulgaris (Yellow Loosestrife), Mentha sp., Pedicularis sylvatica (Lousewort), Rumex hydrolapathum (Water Dock).

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/spilosoma-urticae/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 10

Individuals: 5

Earliest Year: 1909

Latest Year: 1959

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