Species Account

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Distribution

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Common

Local Status: Very common and fairly widespread resident.

Local Record: Grade 2 See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation, Jun-Jul, (partial Aug-Sep).

Forewing: 13-15mm.

Foodplant: Grasses.

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	1985	1905
Year last recorded	2011	2008	2011	2011
Number of records	4025	2	151	8356
Number of individuals	16843	6	270	34238
Unique positions	390	2	24	832
Unique locations	280	1	20	602
Adult records	3482	2	149	7266
Immature records	0	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 8356 records from 602 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1905.

Photos

Species Account

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A widespread species in southern Britain, more local further north, the larva feeding nocturnally on false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) and tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum). In Dorset, the moth is common in woodland where false brome occurs, and in fens and river valley habitat. It is largely absent from heathland and elsewhere in open, dry situations. The moth is double brooded in the county with the peak of the second brood nearly twice the size, on average, as the peak of the first. A relatively large number of records between mid-September and mid-October suggest a partial third brood in most years. The warm summer of 2003 spawned particularly strong second and third broods with some notably high totals, and dispersal or immigration may account for some of the following examples appearing at light traps in dry grassland biotypes: Portland, fifty-five between 6 and 9 August 2003, five on 26 September 2003 (M Cade), Shapwick, forty-six on 21 September 2003 (P Davey), Swanage, thirteen on 8 August 2003 (R Cox).

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