Species Account

Select species and region:

Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Probably abundant, but unknown due vast majority undetermined.

Local Record: Grade G See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation, Jul-Aug

Forewing: 12-16mm.

Foodplant: 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	1955	1982	1955
Year last recorded	2011	2011	2011
Number of records	4817	244	10122
Number of individuals	50806	3257	108126
Unique positions	290	30	640
Unique locations	219	27	492
Adult records	4580	243	9646
Immature records	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 10122 records from 492 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1955.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: An abundant species over much of Britain, the larva feeding on the inner parts of various grass species including cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and cereal crops. In Dorset, this highly variable moth is common to abundant everywhere and seems to have no ecological preference. The national norm is a single brood in July and August. In Dorset moths have been seen as early as the end of May and as late as the middle of October, suggesting an occasional bivoltine cycle. There are three 'Common Rustics', this one, the Lesser Common Rustic^2343.1, and the Remm's Rustic^2343.2. There is some debate over whether the latter species is indeed a distinct species or just a hybrid of the other two. All three can only be separated with certainty via dissection.

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