Species Account

Select species and region:

Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Common and widespread resident.

Local Record: Grade 1 See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation, Jun-Sep.

Forewing: M 12-18mm F 15-26mm.

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	1959	1982	1959
Year last recorded	2011	2011	2011
Number of records	1431	96	3054
Number of individuals	2149	138	4574
Unique positions	151	6	314
Unique locations	128	6	268
Adult records	1170	96	2532
Immature records	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 3054 records from 268 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1959.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A species occurring in most parts of the British Isles, the larva feeding for two years on the roots of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), dandelion (Taraxacum spp.) and dock (Rumex spp.). In Dorset, the moth is abundant on unimproved grassland and in woodland harbouring bracken. A number of adults trapped in urban and rural areas where bracken, dandelion and dock plants are not dominant (for example calcareous grassland), suggests that larvae flourish on roots of other plants; the following record supports this: St Albans Head, larva found in viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) root, adult emerged on 6 September 1938 (H Andrewes).

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