Commophila aeneana

Alternative names
Orange Beauty
Orange Conch
Description

Wingspan 13 to 17 mm. A brightly coloured Tortrix moth, having orange-yellow forewings with metallic blue markings.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Where the larval food plant occurs.

When to see it

The moths fly from May to July.

Life History

The larvae live from September throughout the winter, feeding in the roots of Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).

UK Status

It is rather scarce in Britain, occurring locally in the southern half of England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.

VC55 Status

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland, the first record for this species came from Ketton in 2006, and the record from Broughton Astley Brick Quarry dated 7th June 2017 is only the second VC55 record. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).

Reference
49.113 BF952

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Orange Conch
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tortricidae
Records on NatureSpot:
10
First record:
07/06/2017 (Jones, Dick)
Last record:
11/06/2022 (Calow, Graham)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records