About Deltote bankiana (Fabricius, 1775)
Scientific name: Deltote bankiana (Fabricius, 1775). Description: This species has a wingspan of 24–28 mm, and a forewing length of 10–12 mm. The forewing is pale olive brown, sometimes sprinkled with darker brown. Its markings are shining white, edged with blackish: these markings include a small spot at the base of the costa, two narrow outwardly oblique transverse fasciae, a short costal mark before the apex, and a straight subterminal streak. The reniform stigma is marked by a swelling within the second fascia. The hindwing is luteous white, sprinkled with grey, and darker grey toward the terminal end. Staudinger describes the form amurula from Amurland as rather smaller than the typical olivana and darker brown. Occasional red-brown specimens collected in England are classified as the aberration rufescens Tutt. In the aberration obsoleta Tutt, the oblique white lines are much more attenuated, and the reniform stands on its own. In oblitescens Schultz, the white bands are abbreviated, with one or the other failing to reach the margins. In confluens Schultz, the white bands are either connected laterally by a cross streak or brought close together to form one complete or semi-complete broad white band. The last two forms (oblitescens and confluens) are found in Silesia. The author of this description has not seen any specimens with this level of variation among British examples.
