B&F: 2005

ABH: 71.016

Status:  Resident.

Distribution and Abundance:  Local.

Primary Habitat:  Woodland.

Flight Period:  Single brooded from April to June.

Localities: Longmoor Spinney, Hazelborough Forest, Bucknell Wood and Yardley Chase.  

Observations: The species has disappeared from almost all of its former localities in the north and middle of the county. Despite much trapping it was last seen at Castor Hanglands prior to 1961, Salcey Forest in 1958, Bedford Purlieus in 1932 and Geddington Chase in 1904. Singletons were taken at light in Wellingborough in 1957 and 1994. In 1989 it was found to be established in the woods to the west of Silverstone and can be very common there, as on 9 May 2003 when eighty were attracted to m.v. light. The melanic form fusca does not seem to occur, but was present in Eustace Wallis’s former collection. This collection was predominantly of local material but the data key was absent and unfortunately this insect had no pin data. Undiscovered colonies could well be present in south Northants woodland.

L.O.N.:  1904. Geddington Chase, Badby. Uncommon. Later, undated, Farming Woods.

First Record:  1902, Victoria County History.