Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Nb

Local Status: Uncommon and mainly coastal resident.

Local Record: Grade 3 See here for explanation

Flight time: Aug-Oct.

Forewing: 16-19mm.

Foodplant: Sea Campion and coastal grasses.

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	1996	1905
Year last recorded	2011	2010	2011
Number of records	818	2	1640
Number of individuals	4126	3	8258
Unique positions	70	2	144
Unique locations	51	2	106
Adult records	619	2	1242
Immature records	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 1640 records from 106 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1905.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A mainly coastal species confined to the southern-most counties of England, the larva feeding on various grasses and herbaceous plants. In Dorset, the moth is common to abundant locally in unimproved coastal grassland from Purbeck westwards. Larvae have been found on sea campion (Silene uniflora) at Ferrybridge, so shingle habitat evidently provides an additional habitat. Singletons elsewhere are possibly dispersed individuals, but small numbers year on year from Woolgarston suggest colonisation of the southern slopes of the Purbeck Ridge, and old record from Badbury Rings hints at colonisation on unimproved grassland well inland too, similar to that occurring on the southern slopes of the South Downs in Kent: Shaggs, two at MV on 2 October 2003 (M Parsons), Badbury Rings, three (W Parkinson Curtis), Corfe Castle, at MV on 30 September 2003, two on 3 October 2003 (J Cox), Woolgarston, thirteen at MV between 18 September 1991 and 10 October 1991, eight between 18 September 1992 and 1 October 1992, three between 21 September 1993 and 30 September 1993, four between 21 September 1995 and 16 October 1995 (R Burt), Arne, at MV on 28 September 1983 (B Pickess), Shell Bay, at MV on 20 September 1998 (P Davey), Brownsea Island, at MV on 6 October 1965 (A Bromby), Hengistbury Head, at MV on 3 October 1996 (M Jeffes).

Recommendations relate to measures that ensure the creation and appropriate management of herb-rich unimproved grassland on chalky soil on the Purbeck coast and on Portland. This species should be included in management plans that govern sites that fall within these areas.

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