Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata
This is the Beautiful China-mark. The moth is beautiful indeed and , having a wingspan of up to 25 mm., is one of the slightly bigger members of the Pyralid family. The size of all the China-marks makes you wonder why Pyralids are considered being micros. Yet the caterpillar is more interesting than the adult is, for it lives submerged. There it bites off little pieces of plants. These are woven together to form a cocoon. Inside some air is trapped for the caterpillar to breath. Once adult the Beautiful China-mark is often attracted bij light in the evening. The adults fly in July and August. Common species in England, Ireland, Wales and Southern Scotland.
