B&F: 1914

ABH: 70.235

Status: Resident.

Distribution and Abundance: Common.

Primary Habitat: Woodland.

Flight Period: Single brooded in August and September.

Observations: This species is said to have declined nationally over the past few decades to the extent that it is now considered to be of conservation concern. Early garden light trap records from Wellingborough dating from 1951 to 1955 show an annual average of twenty-two moths being recorded. The species is well represented in the Pitsford Water m.v. light traps with an average annual catch of fifty-three for the ten years from 2000 to 2009 with 137 examples being seen in 2005. I have seen the moth annually in the county for at least the last two decades and other recorders have also found it frequent and sometimes numerous at light in recent years. Offsetting this it was not taken in the Fineshade Rothamsted light trap in the 1990’s despite there being sufficient ash, the larval food plant, nearby for the moth to be present. From the foregoing it appears that the Northamptonshire populations have not been as badly effected as in the national picture. I have not seen the dark form ab. perfuscata in the county.

L.O.N.: 1907. Weedon, Kettering. Often common at light.

First Record: 1902, Victoria County History.