Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata)

Status: Common throughout the UK.

'Yellow-flow, Defined'

(Xantho = yellow + rhoe = flow: Latin, designata = defined/distinct/designated: Latin).

This easily recognised moth has a reddish-brown and black 'flamy' central cross-bar (with a double projection on the outer edge) upon a silvery-grey ground colour.

The only similar species is the Red Carpet (Xanthorhoe decoloraria decoloraria), which has one projection on the outer cross-band and a dark diagonal mark near the wing-tip.


Flight Period: Two generations in the south of UK (May to June & late July to August). In Scotland, one generation: June to July.

Foodplants: Unknown. In captivity, will eat Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri) and other members of cabbage family.