Pyrrhia umbra (Hufnagel, 1766)

Host plants:
The larvae are polyphagous on herbs like Geranium and Fabaceae. I found caterpillars quite often on grasslands of the Swabian Alb on Ononis reptans and O. spinosa, but also Onobrychis.

Habitat:
Pyrrhia umbra inhabits nutrient-poor grasslands, forest edges, extensive meadows with Geranium and occasionally also fens.

Life cycle:
Pyrrhia umbra occurs in most often a single generation especially in June and July. In the warmer lowlands and in warm years there is an often only partial second generation in August/September. I observed the caterpillars mostly in July and August (Swabian Alb).

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
Pyrrhia umbra is in decline due to the loss of nutrient-poor grasslands and other extensive areas, but is not yet seriously threatened.

Remarks:
Pyrrhia umbra occurs in most of Europe (excluding polar regions) and temperate Asia to Japan.