Manchester Treble-bar

We're not very close to Manchester, but this attractive small moth (winglength c.12-15mm) has a scattered distribution across Scotland as well as northern England. Until last night, there had been just three past records from Islay, between 1987 and 1996, and two from Colonsay, in 1961 and 1964. I was therefore quite surprised this morning to find no less than three in my moth trap in Bruichladdich. Their habitat is wet moorland where their food plants of cranberry, bilberry and cowberry grow. I'm not that close to wet moorland, though perhaps they were happy with a wet garden after the recent rain.