Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Migrant

Local Status: Rare migrant.

Local Record: Grade 4 See here for explanation

Flight time: May-Nov.

Forewing: 8-9mm.

Foodplant: Carline Thistle.

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	Region
Year first recorded	1976	1976
Year last recorded	2011	2011
Number of records	26	52
Number of individuals	32	64
Unique positions	17	34
Unique locations	15	30
Adult records	24	48
Immature records	2	4

For the region, we have a total of 52 records from 30 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1976.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A rare immigrant species that is resident in the Mediterranean and the north African regions and a transitory resident in central Europe, the larva feeding on the flowers and seedheads of carline thistle (Carlina vulgaris). In Dorset, the moth is a rare immigrant and transitory resident that tends to be recorded from the coast. A number of larvae were found on Portland on carline thistle in August 1999; this is the only instance of residency for the species to date, and, as there was no opportunity for immigration for any of the adults seen in 1983, 1998 and 1999, it may be that the moth is a more frequent transient resident than previously thought, particularly on unimproved grassland sites on Purbeck and on Portland where its foodplant is relatively common. All (mainly) light trap records follow: Briars Wood, on 6 July 1998 (J Astley), Upwey, on 19 June 2000 (P Harris), Portland, on 17 June 1983 (A Pickles), 13 October 1990 (R Darlow), on 18 June 1983 (W Coster), 25 June 1983 (J Walters), 20 and 21 May, 9 and 19 August, 23 September 1992, 20 October 1995, 20 May 1998, 14 June 1999, 24 August 2003 (M Cade), Southwell, two larvae on carline thistle on 9 August 1999 (Dr P Sterling), Silklake Quarries, two larvae on carline thistle on 9 August 1999 (Dr P Sterling), Kingston, on 10 October 2006 (P Benham), Winspit, in 1930 (F Whitehead), Stoborough, on 5 October 1976 (B Withers), St Albans Head, two on 27 May 1992 (P Davey), Woolgarston, on 21 May 1992 (R Burt), Durlston, on 14 May 1992 (B Skinner), 25 May 1992 (D Brown), 26 May 1992 (Dr J Clarke), 13 October 1995 (R Plowman), 2 on 26 June 2003 (P Davey, S Nash), Swanage, on 21 August 1880 (Reverend E Bankes, Reverend C Digby), on 11 June 1999 (R Cox), Studland on 2 October 1990 (D Brown).

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