Gold Swift –Hepialidae – Phymatopus hecta – colour code • STATUS – A resident species that is widely distributed and common in Derbyshire woods where Bracken is a predominant species of understorey cover. ID POINTERS – The moth is fairly straight forward to identify – The male is brightly marked with distinctive reddish chestnut brown forewing intricately marked with gold spots & blotches that are distinctive across the forewings. The female is duller and less brightly marked with greyish/purplish bands across the forewings. FLIGHT PERIOD – On the wing mid-May – end July. IMAGES – Melbourne, […]