Species Account

Select species and region:

Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Common and widespread resident.

Local Record: Grade 1 See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation, Jul-Aug

Forewing: 28-37mm.

Foodplant: Herbaceous plants. Nettle, docks, burdocks etc.

IMPORTANT - Please note that the maps and accounts are provisional, subject to change and further update. The whole dataset still needs to go through the final verification process and it is likely that a very small number of records will not satisfy the present requirements and there are other records that have not been formally submitted. The information is for guidance only.

Record breakdown:

	VC9	VC11	Region
Year first recorded	1905	1983	1905
Year last recorded	2011	2011	2011
Number of records	1809	173	3964
Number of individuals	4928	380	10616
Unique positions	183	13	392
Unique locations	156	12	336
Adult records	1694	171	3730
Immature records	3	1	8

For the region, we have a total of 3964 records from 336 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1905.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A species found throughout Britain, the larva feeding on a wide variety of herbaceous plants. In Dorset, the moth is common on unimproved grassland, on farmland transitioning from improved arable to unimproved grassland such as 'set-aside' land on chalky soils, in river valleys and in gardens well stocked with herbaceous plants. The moth is infrequent on dry acid soils where herbaceous plants are scarce. None of the extreme varieties that are occasionally noted elsewhere in the UK have been recorded in Dorset. The following light trap records refer to potential second brood individuals: Puddletown, on 1 October 2000 (H Wood Homer), Gaunts Common, on 28 October 1995 (P Davey).

See background to species accounts. Index of Vernacular names - Search - Random Species