Bordered Gothic

Bordered Gothic is found throughout Europe and central Asia. Two subspecies have been found in Britain: marginosa is a light brown, whereas the subspecies hibernica is a darker grey colour, however, they both have characteristic pale veins and cross-lines.

Eggs are laid in June and July with the larvae developing from late June to early September. They then spend the winter as a pupa, in a cocoon in the soil.

Flight Times

They have a single generation that flies from May to July at night.

Size and Family

• Family – Brocades, Quakers and leaf-eating wainscots (Hadeninae)

• Medium-sized

• Wingspan Range – 32-37mm

Conservation Status

• Priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan

• Proposed Red Data Book species

• Formerly Nationally Scarce B

Caterpillar Food Plants

The larvae are thought to feed on a variety of plants including soapwort, bladder campion and knotgrass.

Habitat

It prefers calcareous habitats such as chalk downland, quarries, limestone and chalk cliffs, Breckland heaths and also waste ground.

Distribution

• Countries – England, Ireland

• The mainland Britain subspecies marginosa was historically widely recorded in England and Wales but has dramatically declined in recent decades. The reasons for this decline are not fully understood. Recent records have been very scattered across the south-east of England and some of these are possibly immigrants of a darker continental race.

• The subspecies hibernica is found on the south coast of Ireland.