Species Account

Select species and region:

Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Common and widespread

Local Record: Grade 1 See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation Jun-Jul, (partial Aug-Oct).

Forewing: 16-19mm.

Foodplant: Common Nettle other plants.

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	1955	1983	1955
Year last recorded	2011	2011	2011
Number of records	2817	202	6038
Number of individuals	5468	274	11484
Unique positions	271	15	572
Unique locations	220	14	468
Adult records	2401	199	5200
Immature records	1	0	2

For the region, we have a total of 6038 records from 468 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1955.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A widespread species in Britain, the larva feeding on nettle (Urtica dioica) and dead-nettle (Lamium spp.), and occasionally on various other herbaceous plants. In Dorset, the moth is widespread and frequent, but at low density in open, unimproved grassland on all soil types, but rises to common in areas where improved farmland provides nitrogen-rich soils where nettle plants flourish. This is therefore one of the very few moth species to benefit from changes in agricultural practices in recent years. The moth is bivoltine and the peak of the first brood is on average, twice as large as the peak of the second.

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