Host plants:
The larvae feed on Vicia species such as Vicia cracca and V. tenuifolia.
Habitat:
Lygephila pastinum inhabits particularly edges with the larval host plant, such as in nutrient-poor grasslands, wetlands, extensively managed meadows or in clearcuttings and woodland edges.
Life cycle:
The moths fly mostly in a single generation in June/July. At low altitudes there is regularly a second generation with moths from mid-May to early July and again in August and September. The caterpillars overwinter and can be tapped in the autumn (September/October) in Vicia stocks. In the spring, however, they live close to the ground and hide at least during the day in the litter.
Endangerment factors:
Lygephila pastinum loses massive habitats due to the decline in more nutrient-poor edges, but is overall still the most widespread species of the genus.
Remarks:
The distribution extends from Northern Spain through Central Europe and temperate Asia to Japan.