The wingspan is 32–37 mm. Forewing dark fuscous, with a purplish sheen when fresh; all the veins white, between outer and submarginal lines black with pale outlines; claviform stigma black and broad; upper stigmata concisely outlined with pale, the reniform with a central pale line; a slight pale apical streak; submarginal line white; hindwing fuscous, the basal half, especially in male, considerably paler; — unicolor Alph. is said to have no violet tinge; but this is always the case when the insect has been out for any length of time.[1][2][3]
Figs 5, 5a larva after last moult
Biology
The moth flies from May to August depending on the location.
The species has disappeared from the United Kingdom as a resident species during the first decade of the 21st century.[5]
Habitat
References
^Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde, Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914
^Hermann Hacker, László Ronkay, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae I. In: Michael Fibiger, David Agassiz, Martin Honey (Hrsg.): Noctuidae Europaeae. Band 4. Entomological Press, Sorø 2002, ISBN 87-89430-07-7
^Walter Forster, Theodor A. Wohlfahrt: Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuropas Band 4: Eulen. (Noctuidae). Franckh’sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5.
