Diarsia brunnea (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Host plants:
The caterpillars live polyphagous in the herb layer and also climb sprouting woods in the spring.

Habitat:
Diarsia brunnea colonizes not too dry forests of all kinds. It is also found in other woody habitats. I found caterpillars on grove lined stream banks along with those of Xestia baja and Mormo maura. Diarsia brunnea is hygrophilous.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters half-grown. The moths fly from June to early/mid-August. The caterpillar can easily be found with a pocket lamp at night after the winter, such as Urtica stocks along forest roads or streams, in damp woodland fringes etc. During the day, I found it under moss at the base of tree trunks. In autumn (October) I watched them resting on top of for example blackberry leaves and ferns.

Remarks:
Diarsia brunnea is widespread in Central Europe and northern Asia and in humid regions often common.