B&F: 1924

ABH: 70.230

Status: Unknown.

Distribution and Abundance: Rare - no modern records

Primary Habitat: Woodland.

Flight Period: Single brooded in June and July.

Localities: Spanhoe Wood and Castor Hanglands.

Observations: The Spanhoe Wood locality is given as a result of a singleton seen there on 11 July 1990. Castor Hanglands is historically the most well known site in the county for the species. It was stated by R. E. M. Pilcher in his paper, “The Lepidoptera of Castor Hanglands and Ailsworth Heath. 1911 – 1960.” as being common with the form f. corylaria being particularly common in the locality. In the mid 1980’s the males could be seen flying at dusk and on 14 July 1986 five females including two f. corylaria were taken in actinic traps left overnight. The moth continued to be seen until 1988 but does not seem to have been noted since despite attempts to find it. Earlier localities include Wicken Wood to 1976 and Sywell Wood to 1949.

L.O.N.: 1905. Barnwell, Sywell, Castor. Sometimes locally abundant.

First Record: 1882, Hull & Tomalin.