Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Fairly common and widespread resident.

Local Record: Grade 1 See here for explanation

Flight time: Two generations, Apr-Jun, Jul-Aug.

Forewing: 18-24mm.

Foodplant: Birch and Alder.

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	1982	1905
Year last recorded	2011	2007	2011	2011
Number of records	1553	2	173	3456
Number of individuals	2094	6	587	5374
Unique positions	279	1	20	600
Unique locations	199	1	19	438
Adult records	1400	2	172	3148
Immature records	1	0	0	2

For the region, we have a total of 3456 records from 438 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1905.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A species occurring throughout Britain, the larva feeding on alder (Alnus glutinosa), oak (Quercus spp.), birch (Betulae spp.) and hazel (Corylus avellana). In Dorset, the moth is primarily a denizen of old oak/birch woodland and birch on heathland, and in these habitats it is frequent. It is infrequent elsewhere and becomes rather rare in open tree-less habitat. The national norm is a single brood in northern Britain in June and July, and a double brood in the south. In Dorset, the flight period covers four months. This is suspected of comprising a single brood with a peak in early July, plus a double brood with peaks in mid-May and early August. In this latter cycle, the peak of the second brood is on average, two times larger than the peak of the first brood.

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