Species account

Seksplettet Køllesværmer (Zygaena filipendulae)    Linnaeus (1758)
   Køllesværmere (Zygaenidae)    SSBU    25129
Six-spot Burnet (gb)   Ziygena de los Seis Puntos (es)   Sexfläckig Bastardsvärmare (se)      Synonyms: Allmän Bastardsvärmare (se)
Subspecies
filipendulae
altapyrenaica
Le Charles (1950).
arctica
Schneider (1880).
balcanirosea
Holik (1943).
campaniae
Rebel (1901).
duponcheli
Verity (1921).
gemella
Marten (1956).
gemina
Burgeff (1914).
gigantea
Rocci (1913).
himmighofeni
Burgeff (1926).
liguris
Rocci (1925).
maior
Esper (1794).
mannii
Herrich-Schaffer (1852).
noacki
Reiss (1962).
oberthueriana
Burgeff (1926).
polygalae
Esper (1783).
praeochsenheimeri
Verity (1939).
pulcherrima
Verity (1921).
pulcherrimastoechadis
Verity (1921).
pyrenes
Verity (1921).
seeboldi
Oberthur (1910).
siciliensis
Verity (1917).
stephensi
Dupont (1900).
stoechadis
Borkhausen (1793).
zarana
Burgeff (1926).
Measurements:
WS:28-39mm
Flight period:
JFMAMJJASOND 
SE
Identification:
Compared to all other burnets (in N Europe) this species is rather easy to identify, having six red spots on the forewing.
Similar species:
Life stages:
Distribution:
Habitat:
Flowering dry meadows, roadsides and forest-edges.
Behavior:
Status:
The most common burnet in Scandinavia, but slightly declining overall.
Host plants:
Almindelig Kællingetand (Lotus corniculatus) [Bird's-foot Trefoil ~ Loto Corniculado ~ Käringtand]
Sump-Kællingetand (Lotus pedunculatus) [Marsh Bird's-foot Trefoil ~ Cuernecillo Grande ~ Stor Käringtand]
Comment:
Six-spot Burnet 2591    (4 photos)
2012-07-21    Amager, Denmark

Imago
No records from this day otherwise, but file is named Amager why it becomes my first example registered on the island. Probably Kalvebod Fælled. Smells like it.



Six-spot Burnet 861    (1 photos)
2022-07-03    Høvblege (Møn), Denmark

Imago




Six-spot Burnet 872    (1 photos)
2022-07-03    Høvblege (Møn), Denmark

Imago
Sharp-looking!



Six-spot Burnet 873    (1 photos)
2022-07-03    Høvblege (Møn), Denmark

Imago
Above, with a Transparent Burnet.



Six-spot Burnet 874    (1 photos)
2022-07-03    Høvblege (Møn), Denmark

Imago
Likely a worn individual. And looking small. And with the transparent wing it almost reminds of a New Forest Burnet [Lille Køllesværmer].



Six-spot Burnet 883    (1 photos)
2022-07-03    Høvblege (Møn), Denmark

Imago
Stunning!



Six-spot Burnet 860    (1 photos)
2022-07-03    Høvblege (Møn), Denmark

Imago
A less brightly looking individual. Probably worn.



Six-spot Burnet 1041    (1 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago
I'm sure both are six-spotted though the damaged one shows no traces of species-specific characters.



Six-spot Burnet 1044    (1 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago




Six-spot Burnet 1043    (1 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago




Six-spot Burnet 1042    (1 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago




Six-spot Burnet 1040    (1 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago




Six-spot Burnet 1039    (2 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago




Six-spot Burnet 1038    (2 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago
A rather worn individual but still straightforward to identify with traces of the sixth, outer-distal, spot visible.
Six-spot Burnet 1037    (3 photos)
2022-07-31    Røsnæs-halvøen, Denmark

Imago
The common zygaenaidae here and unmistakable.
Six-spot Burnet 1985    (1 photos)
2023-07-21    Bøtø-skoven, Denmark

Imago
Diget.
A single found by Henrik. A poor burnet year..?



Six-spot Burnet 2052    (2 photos)
2023-07-27    Addit Hede (midtjylland), Denmark

Imago
On Field Scabious [Blåhat].



Six-spot Burnet 2053    (2 photos)
2023-07-27    Addit Hede (midtjylland), Denmark

Imago
Worn.



Six-spot Burnet 2054    (2 photos)
2023-07-27    Addit Hede (midtjylland), Denmark

Imago
On Field Scabious [Blåhat].



Six-spot Burnet 2885    (1 photos)
2024-07-20    Døllefjelde Musse Naturpark (Lolland), Denmark

Imago
Time to fly! Saw some 10 flying here and there.