Lithophane lamda (Fabricius, 1787)

Host plants:
The larvae usually feed on Myrica gale. There are also records from Ledum palustre, Vaccinium uliginosum and even Salix and Betula.

Habitat:
Lithophane lamda inhabits bogs, boggy woodlands and wet heathlands with dwarf shrubs.

Life cycle:
The moths occur from late summer and hibernate. They appear again in spring up to early June. The larva develops from May to July most often at semi-shady places, less on totally open ground. I found mature larvae in central Sweden (Östersund region) in a bog on Myrica in mid-July 2020.

Endangerment factors:
In central Europe Lithophane lamda hast been pushed back to a few isolated populations due to habitat destruction.

Remarks:
Lithophane lamda occurs from central and northern Europe eastward to Japan. In Germany it is locally found in the northern part, but also has a small relic distribution in eastern Bavaria (Bavarian Forest). The latter is linked to the isolated distribution in Bohemia and Upper Austria. Lithophane lamda misses in the Alps.