72.046 : 2047 : 10,490
Erebidae : Arctiinae

Scarce Footman

EILEMA complana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 30-36mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Asia Minor : Crimea : Caucasus : Transcaucasia : Middle Asia  - Alai : SW.Siberia : Middle Amur : Primorye : NW.China : Mongolia
UK Distribution: Southern & Estern England to Yorkshire-quite frequent : SW England,Wales,Midlands north to Cumbria & Isle of Man-more local : Ireland-Widely distributed but coastal : Channel Isles-widespread and fairly frequent
UK Conservation Status -
  • Local = 101 - 300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena complana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type Species - Eilema
  • Bombyx caniola Hübner, 1808
Type Locality -
  • Not Specified
Flight Period: South-June to earl September : Elsewhere-July to August-single generation
Habitat: Heathland : Moorland : Woodland : Downland : Gardens
Similar Species -
  • Common Footman Eilema lurideola Zincken, 1817
  • Hoary Footman Eilema caniola Hübner, 1808
  • Northern Footman Eilema complana f.sericea Gregson, 1860
Larva: The larva is black,covered in stiff hairs and has a thin orange lateral line adjacent to the spiracles when viewed from the side.Viewed from top-there are two rows of outward facing orange square shapes starting at the third abdominal segment.
Pupa: Pupates in a web like cocoon amongst plant debris in a crevice
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations: The moth is grey with a thin yellow costal/terminal streak which is maintained around the forewing.The moths collar is also completely yellow.
Can be confused with the Common Footman E.lurideola but with this moth the yellow streak narrows and the collar has a small ammount of grey at the centre. At rest the moth folds it wings, giving a tapered look from above(See photo 2) again seperating the two species.
The Hoary Footman E.caniola lacks the continuous yellow streak although at rest they look similar.
The Northern Footman E.complana f. sericea cannot be separated from this moth but is extremely rare only appearing at Whixhall Moss Shropshire.

The moth is a regular visitor to the light trap,appearing sometime in large numbers and also feeds from flowers after dark,especially Knapweed and Thistles

Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
  • Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
  • Peltigeraceae - Litchenised Fungi Family
    • Hypogya physodes - Dark Crottle
    • Parmelia saxatilis - Shield Lichen
Taxonomy
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Type Species - EILEMA:

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Forms/Aberrations:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Erebidae
Arctiinae
Lithosiini
EILEMA Hübner, [1819]
Eilema complana (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Bombyx caniola Hübner, 1808
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PHALAENA complana (Linnaeus, 1758)
= Eilema complanum (Linnaeus, 1758)
= ochrocephala Geoffroy, 1785
= Lithosia complanata Costa, 1833
= Lithosia sericea Gregson, 1860
= Lithosia molybdeola Guenée, 1861
= Crambidia allegheniensis Holland, 1903
= Eilema balcanica Daniel, 1939
= Eilema postgrisescens Lempke, 1961
= Eilema sericea Gregson, 1860
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= EILEMA Hübner, 1819
= Zobida Birket-Smith 1965
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.512 - n.85
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Not Specified
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E.c.f.flavescens Rebel,1910-Forewing suffused with yellow
E.C.f.sericea Gregson, 1860-Wing suffused with grey,especially hindwing-British Isles only