Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Rare and very local resident.

Local Record: Grade 3 See here for explanation

Flight time: Jun-Jul.

Forewing: 10-12mm.

Foodplant: Thistles.

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	1997	1998	1997
Year last recorded	2010	2007	2010
Number of records	14	5	38
Number of individuals	9	5	28
Unique positions	14	2	32
Unique locations	13	2	30
Adult records	13	5	36
Immature records	1	0	2

For the region, we have a total of 38 records from 30 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1997.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: First discovered in Huntingdonshire in 1951, and then also in Cambridgeshire, its range expanding during the 1990s; it is now resident in many eastern counties of England, the larva feeding on thistles (Carduus spp. and Cirsium spp.).

In Dorset, the few widely-spread records we have are all post-1996, and likely reflect the westward expansion of this species nationally during the warming trend: Broadcroft Quarry, at MV light on 22 June 2007 (G Hopkins et al), Lodmoor, at MV light on 19 July 1997 (M Parker), Lorton barn, at MV light on 29 June 2005 (Dr P Sterling), Puddletown, at MV light on 7 July 2001 (H Wood Homer), Trigon, at MV light on 25 June 2001 and 23 June 2006 (C Manley), Keysworth, at MV light on 9 July 2000 (H Wood Homer), Shapwick, at MV light on 8 June 2007, Edmonsham, at MV light on 18 June 2003 (P Davey), Hurn, at MV light on 25 July 2005 (M Jeffes). In 2008 a larva was found on creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), and it appears that the moth, at the very least is a transient resident on chalky grassland near Chickerell: Tidmoor Range, larva on lower leaf of creeping thistle Cirsium arvense on 24 September (Dr P Sterling).

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