Species Account
Distribution
Summary Data
Season (Adult / Immature):
|
National Status: Common Local Status: Fairly common and thinly distributed and restricted resident. Local Record: Grade 1 See here for explanation Flight time: One generation, May-Jul. Forewing: 16-19mm. Foodplant: Grasses. |
Record breakdown:
VC9 | VC11 | Region | |
---|---|---|---|
Year first recorded | 1955 | 1975 | 1955 |
Year last recorded | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Number of records | 838 | 41 | 1758 |
Number of individuals | 1504 | 84 | 3176 |
Unique positions | 118 | 8 | 252 |
Unique locations | 98 | 7 | 210 |
Adult records | 730 | 41 | 1542 |
Immature records | 0 | 0 | 0 |
For the region, we have a total of 1758 records from 210 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1955.
Photos
Species Account
For further information refer UK Moths.
Davey, P., 2009: A species of grassland, more frequent in the east of Britain that the west, the larva feeding on various soft-bladed grass species. In Dorset, the moth is common on undercliff grassland on Portland and locally frequent on unimproved grassland on chalky soils throughout. The moth is also frequent in garden habitat in Poole. In all these situations the host plants are likely to be common couch (Elytrigia repens) and cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata). Elsewhere, the moth is rare and is virtually absent from heathland and core woodland. The species has evidently declined on Purbeck and on Portland due to the overall improvement and loss of coastal grassland; its status historically was assessed as abundant in both regions. An unusually dark melanistic specimen, possibly ab. unicolor, was trapped at Scar Bank by A Russell.
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