Beautiful Utetheisa Utetheisa ornatrix

Wingspan c.48 mm.

This very colourful species is a rare vagrant from North America, with just one record in 1948 on Skokholm Island, Pembrokeshire.

It is possible that this occurrence was ship-assisted.

The species resembles Crimson Speckled Utetheisa pulchella, but has pink hindwings and usually more extensive salmon-pink on the forewing.

In their native land, the larvae feed on species of rattlebox (Crotalaria).