Species Account

Select species and region:

Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Local

Local Status: Uncommon and restricted resident.

Local Record: Grade 2 See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation, Aug-Oct.

Forewing: 15-18mm.

Foodplant: Herbaceous 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	1888	1987	1888
Year last recorded	2011	2006	2011
Number of records	1770	61	3662
Number of individuals	11882	75	23914
Unique positions	127	6	266
Unique locations	104	6	220
Adult records	1557	61	3236
Immature records	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 3662 records from 220 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1888.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A species confined to and frequent along the coasts of England and Wales, but local along the eastern seaboard, the larva is polyphagous on herbaceous plants. In Dorset, the moth is abundant in undercliff habitat on Purbeck and on Portland. A total of nearly one thousand moths was trapped in Swanage town by Rees Cox in the 1997 season alone. Elsewhere, the moth is at low density on sandy coasts including Poole Harbour and Christchurch Harbour, but becomes increasingly scarce the further west one travels from Portland. It has also colonised chalky soil in the Dorchester area and along the Purbeck Ridge, and in this latter locality is locally frequent. The following dispersed examples were observed at light traps well inland some distance from known colonies: Chamberlaynes, on 17 October 1938 (H Andrewes), Powerstock, on 4 October 1997 (D Foot, M Forster), Trigon, on 27 September 1997, 17 October 1997, 22 and 28 September 1998 (CM), Shapwick, on 29 September 2003 (P Davey), Gaunts Common, on 11 October 1993, 16 September 1996 (P Davey), Ferndown, on 9 October 2003 (R Cook), St Ives, on 5 October 1987 (Dr J Clarke). A number of individuals trapped in mid-summer in recent years suggest a partial first brood.

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