Thrift Clearwing

Identified by three or sometimes four narrow and yellowish-white bands on the abdomen and vertical stripes on the thorax with the absence of any orange scales on the forewings.

The adults can sometimes be seen visiting flowers of Thrift and Thyme. The caterpillars feed inside the roots and stems of the foodplant from August to the following May, overwintering as part-grown larvae.

Size and Family

• Family – Clearwing moths (Sesiidae)
• Small Sized
• Wingspan Range – 12-16mm

Conservation status

• UK BAP: Not listed
• Nationally Scarce B

Caterpillar Food Plants

Thrift (Armeria maritima) 

Habitat

Rocky coastlines and sunken lanes leading to beaches

Distribution

• Countries – England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland
• Nationally Scarce B. A scattered distribution which includes the western coasts of Britain and Ireland, south Devon, Cornwall and Scilly, Anglesea, Cumbria and the Isle of Man. Also recorded in Kirkcudbrightshire, the Moray Firth, Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire and Angus in Scotland, the southern coast of Ireland and Co. Antrim in Northern Ireland. Locally frequent in the Channel Islands.