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, Sep-Nov.

Forewing: 13-17mm

Foodplant: Norway Spruce, Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock.

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	1959	2007	1975	1959
Year last recorded	2011	2008	2011	2011
Number of records	920	3	186	2218
Number of individuals	1946	76	229	4502
Unique positions	182	2	15	398
Unique locations	137	1	15	306
Adult records	831	3	185	2038
Immature records	0	0	0	0

For the region, we have a total of 2218 records from 306 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1959.

Photos

Species Account

Similar species: 1768 Thera obeliscata (Grey Pine Carpet).

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A species found over much of Britain, but local in Scotland, the larva feeding on norway spruce (Picea abies), sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and western hemlock-spruce (Tsuga heterophylla). In Dorset, the moth is common in spruce and fir plantation. The moth is bivoltine with two brood cycles paralleling those of the Grey Pine Carpet¹⁷⁶⁸. The length of time between the peaks of a given cycle is roughly one hundred and twenty-nine days. The following singletons observed at light traps between January and March may be partial third brood individuals: Puddletown, on 24 December 2000, 7 January 2003 (H Wood Homer), Bere Wood, two on 15 March 1997 (R Cook et al).

Hill, L., 2013:

Very similar to some forms of Grey Pine Carpet, especially dark forms. Where there is doubt, males can be separated by microscopic examination of the antennae. The ventral surface is covered in cilia, whereas the dorsal surface possesses scales.

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