Hebrew character
Its dark forewing mark can resemble the Hebrew letter nun or a small gothic arch, though far northern individuals sometimes lack the mark entirely.
| Where | Woodland edges and scrub |
|---|---|
| Size | 30 to 40 mm wingspan |
| When | March to May |
The Hebrew character has forewings ranging from purplish brown to greyish brown, crossed by a distinctive dark, arch shaped mark that gives the species its name, though the mark fades toward the ground colour in some northern individuals.
Caterpillars feed on a wide range of deciduous trees and shrubs as well as herbaceous plants such as meadowsweet and nettle, and the single generation of adults is drawn readily to light in early spring.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, Black
Active
Night
To people
Attracted to light; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The setaceous Hebrew character is larger at 35 to 42 mm and shows a bright straw-colored triangular mark beside a bold black Hebrew-letter-shaped mark, unlike the plain gothic arch mark of the Hebrew character.
Questions
Is the Hebrew character dangerous to people?
Attracted to light; harmless to people.
When can you see the Hebrew character?
The Hebrew character can be seen from March to May, at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by Ben Sale from UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Owlet moths›Orthosia
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.