Argent and sable moth  (Rheumaptera hastata)

Information authenticated by Sean Clancy.

• Coppicing: traditional form of woodland management in which trees are cut close to the base of the trunk. Re-growth occurs in the form of many thin poles. Woodlands are cut in this way on rotation, producing a mosaic of different stages of re-growth.
• Pupal stage: stage in an insect's development, when huge changes occur that reorganise the larval form into the adult form. In butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis.
• Rides: often the footpaths and access tracks which run through and divide blocks of trees in woodland. Many rides contain a mixture of rich flora and structure, and provide different habitat conditions for a range of wildlife.
• Single-brooded: (Also known as 'univoltine'). Insect life cycle that takes 12 months to be complete, and involves a single generation. The egg, larva, pupa or adult over winters as a dormant stage.

1. Skinner, B. (1984) Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles. Viking Press, London.
2. UK BAP Species Action Plan (December 2001): http://www.ukbap.org.uk
3. Stirling Government (December 2001): http://www.stirling.gov.uk/countryside/
4. South, R. (1961) The moths of the British Isles. Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London.