Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Very common and widespread resident.

Local Record: Grade 1 See here for explanation

Flight time: One or two generations, May-Sep.

Forewing: 15-17mm.

Foodplant: Common Nettle.

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	VC5	VC11	Region
Year first recorded	1905	2007	1985	1905
Year last recorded	2011	2007	2011	2011
Number of records	4407	1	285	4693
Number of individuals	6368	2	419	6789
Unique positions	330	1	19	350
Unique locations	251	1	16	268
Adult records	3732	1	284	4017
Immature records	0	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 4693 records from 268 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1905.

Photos

Species Account

Similar species: 2449 Abrostola triplasia (Dark Spectacle).

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A widespread species in Britain, the larva feeding on nettle (Urtica dioica). In Dorset, the moth is widespread and frequent, but common in areas where improved farmland provides nitrogen-rich soils where nettle plants flourish. The national norm is for a single brood in the north of Britain from late June until mid-July, and a double brood in the south from late May to June and again in August and September. However in Dorset, a univoltine cycle plus a bivoltine cycle is suspected, with a single brood from early June to mid-July, and a double brood from late April to mid-June, and again from August into September.

This species resembles the Dark Spectacle²⁴⁴⁹. Diagnostics include: basal and tournal areas whitish-grey not ochreous-brown. If this wasn't enough, confusion has also centred on the Spectacle being assigned the latin name Abrostola triplasia in the past, the present name of the Dark Spectacle²⁴⁴⁹.

Hill, L., 2013:

In Spectacle, the orbicular and subreniform stigma are fused together, in Dark Spectacle, they appear separated.

Last updated: 14 June 2013

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