About Epione vespertaria (Linnaeus, 1767)
Epione vespertaria, commonly called the dark bordered beauty, has a wingspan of 25–30 mm. Adult moths are sexually dimorphic: males have darker, more yellow ocher-colored wings, while females have pale yellow wings. Both sexes have an even-width purplish-grey border along the wing edges, which is why the species was previously named Epione paralellaria. A small black spot is present on both the forewings and hindwings. Adults fly from late June to September, with one generation per year. Caterpillars are brown or violet-brown, with a whitish-tinged underside. They feed on Betula species (birch), Corylus avellana (hazel), Populus tremula (aspen), and Salix species (willow). Larvae can be found from May to June, and the species overwinters in the egg stage. This species is widespread across its range, extending from western Europe to the Amur River. In England, it has only been recorded at Strensall Common in the City of York. It occupies a variety of habitats, including plains, mountains, wet heathlands, and damp woodlands.
