Rhodophaea formosa

Wingspan 20 to 23mm. An attractive red, grey and black species.

Rather secretive in habits. It is not often encountered by day but can be attracted to light at night.

The adults are on the wing from June until August.

The larvae feed in a slight web on the leaves of Elm especially those in hedgerows.

The species is locally distributed in the southernmost counties of England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant).