Morley’s Final Catalogue: Frequent everywhere among knapweed. Copdock (Hkg) • Bentley Woods in June (Mly); Bramford and Westerfeld (Pvett); Hemley in 1902 (Wir); Monks Soham, at light in August 1905-32 (Mly); Leiston (Grey); Kessingland (Ctw) in 1935 (Mly).

Recent Status: Recorded across Suffolk.

Life Style: A double brooded species flying in summer that comes to light. The larvae feed in a stem of Centaurea nigra on shoots or flower bases. The autumn brood hibernates when small. They pupate in the larval habitation for the summer brood and on the ground for the spring brood.

Identification: A pale species which is lightly marked and has an acute wing tip. It is much smaller than the similarly marked C. alternana that is not recorded in Suffolk. It has an oblique central dorsal mark that may not reach the middle of the wing but can extend faintly towards the costa. There are spots on the costa and the base of the costa may be slightly darker.

Recorded in 44 (76%) of 58 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1902.
Last Recorded in 2023.