1635 Ground Lackey Malacosoma castrensis
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan 31-41A very local species in the British Isles, restricted to parts of the south-eastern coastal counties.
The moths fly in July and August, but are only infrequently encountered, usually by light-trapping.
The colourful larvae are more showy, sometimes basking in the sunshine. They feed on a range of saltmarsh plants such as sea wormwood (Artemisia maritima) and sea-lavender (Limonium vulgare).