Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Local

Local Status: Scarce and restricted resident.

Local Record: Grade 3 See here for explanation

Flight time: May-Jul.

Forewing: 15-20mm.

Foodplant: Heathers and Broom.

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	1985	1983	1983
Year last recorded	2010	2011	2011
Number of records	65	24	178
Number of individuals	153	87	480
Unique positions	32	11	86
Unique locations	28	9	74
Adult records	64	24	176
Immature records	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 178 records from 74 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1983.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A local species occurring in England, Wales and southern Scotland, the larva feeding on heather (Calluna spp.), heath (Erica spp.), broom (Cytisus scoparius) and gorse (Ulex europaeus). In Dorset, the moth is common very locally. It has been noted in some but not all heathland blocks; some where broom is found, such as Ashington and Merley, Parley Common and Matchams, and others such as Gold Point on the Arne peninsular and Decoy Heath where there is no broom. The Grass Wave occupies an additional, rather different biotype in the county, namely old grassland on ill-drained clay soil at Rooksmoor in the Blackmoor Vale. Here, a thriving colony exists but where none of its stated foodplants occur. Dyer's greenweed (Genista tinctoria), which is abundant at the site, is a likely food-source for the larvae. Old records from nearby Glanville's Wootton and Caundle's Holt suggest that the moth was more widespread in the past, presumably at a time when large areas of neutral unimproved grassland existed. Continued monitoring of this moth is recommended at the Rooksmoor SSSI. Light winter grazing appears to be important to maintaining good stocks of dyer's greenweed at the site.

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