73.329 Ochropleura plecta (Flame Shoulder)
fw: 12-15mm (Waring & Townsend), ws: 28-34mm (MBGBI9); Apr-Sep in south, May-Jul in north; various herbaceous plants; common throughout GB.
ID: Forewing reddish-brown with a sharply contrasting pale straw costa; black streak from near wing base, through oval and to kidney mark; hindwing glossy yellowish white. The rare migrant O.leucogaster (Radford's Flame Shoulder) has a similar pattern. See Ochropleura for detailed features distinguishing these two species. O.leucogaster can be distinguished on the following features: averages larger and more elongate (fw: 13-16mm); forewing ground colour dull brown; oval and kidney marks small; hindwing clean white; strong contrast between purplish thorax and whitish patagia; white hairs around anterior part of abdomen (hence leucogaster = 'white stomach'); black streak extends distal to kidney mark (sometimes does in O.plecta); all British records have occurred late September to November after the normal flight period for O.plecta.
§1 Foulness, Essex; 19/05/2007
§2 Foulness, Essex; 08/09/2007
§3 Whiteshill, Gloucestershire; 23/05/2008
§4 Cyffdy Farm, Gwynedd; 19/06/2010; fw 12.7mm
§5 Foulness, Essex; 26/07/2014
§6 Foulness, Essex; 13/06/2015
§7 Romansleigh, Devon; 26/06/2016; female; fw 13.4mm
§8 Minsmere, Suffolk; 02/08/2016
§9 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 25/09/2017; female; fw 12.4mm; to light
§10 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 25/09/2017; male; fw 11.7mm; to light
§11 St Mary's, Isles of Scilly; 07/06/2024
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Foulness, Essex; 08/09/2007
§3 Whiteshill, Gloucestershire; 23/05/2008
§4 Cyffdy Farm, Gwynedd; 19/06/2010; fw 12.7mm
§5 Foulness, Essex; 26/07/2014
§6 Foulness, Essex; 13/06/2015
§7 Romansleigh, Devon; 26/06/2016; female; fw 13.4mm
§8 Minsmere, Suffolk; 02/08/2016
§9 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 25/09/2017; female; fw 12.4mm; to light
§10 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 25/09/2017; male; fw 11.7mm; to light
§11 St Mary's, Isles of Scilly; 07/06/2024
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 02/02/2017 (§1-7) | §8 added 22/02/2017 | §9&10 added 31/12/2017 | §11 added 22/11/2024