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Euplagia quadripunctaria
The Spanish flag is doing better in recent years: the warmer climate helps the progress of the species. In the 1990, the moth 'accidentally' ended up on Annex II of the Habitats Directive, which lead to an out of proportion focus on this beautiful appearance in comparison with those for other moths. In Western Europe, the Spanish flag is not really threatened. It is gradually expanding its habitat and the main host plant of the kind, Queens Spice, is also fairly common. In Flanders, the relatively recently developed population centers near Leuven and Diest have greatly expanded and now the species is found throughout the entire Dyle Valley. In the south of the province of Antwerp we find a stronghold in the region of Mechelen. Annually vagrants are found in the vicinity of Ghent, Antwerp and Limburg in various places (where the species is observed in the border region to Genk).
It flies both in the daytime, when it can be found feeding on various flowers, as well as at night, when it is attracted to light. The main flight period is July to September. The hairy larvae feed on a range of herbaceous plants including nettle (Urtica).
Spotted on Jul 31, 2011
Submitted on Jul 21, 2012
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