Spilosoma lutea (Hufnagel, 1766)
Buff Ermine
72.0190 (B&F: 2061)
Previously:Spilosoma luteum (Hufnagel, 1766)
Synonym(s):
Spilosoma lubricipeda sensu auctt. nec (Linnaeus, 1758)
»Suborder: Glossata
»Superfamily: Noctuoidea
»Family: Erebidae
»Subfamily: Arctiinae
»Tribe: Arctiini
A resident species that is often fairly common and occasionally common at mv light in a wide range of habitats. Probably generally distributed, but high numbers are episodic. Previously single-brooded, flying mainly from late May to mid August, an additional autumnal emergence has become increasingly recorded, chiefly between early September and early November. Adults have been seen in every week from late April to early November. The larvae feed on the leaves of dock, plantain, plumbage, bedstraw, privet, lesser bindweed, ivy, common red valerian, buddleja, wisteria, lilac, tomato and on cucumber fruit. (Pratt, 2011)