73.232 BF2231a

Northern Deep-brown Dart Aporophyla lueneburgensis

(Freyer, 1848)

Wingspan c. 38-40mm Until recently, this species was considered a subspecies of Deep-brown Dart A. lutulenta, and indeed is still treated as such by some authors.

As the name suggests, it has a more northerly range than lutulenta, occurring over much of Scotland, Northern England and Wales, and the northern parts of Ireland.

It tends to be darker and greyer than its congener, but is quite variable.

It flies in August and September over moorland and rough grassland, and the larvae feed mostly on heather (Calluna), bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculata)