B&F: 2043

ABH: 72.049

Status: Resident.

Distribution and Abundance: Local.

Primary Habitat: Woodland.

Flight Period: Single brooded in May and June.

Localities: Yardley Chase, Pitsford Water, Old Sulehay Forest and Castor  Hanglands.

Observations: Writing in the 1960’s in his unpublished paper, “The Lepidoptera of Castor Hanglands and Ailsworth Heath 1911 - 1960,” R. E. M. Pilcher regarded this species as common on the reserve. Presumably this referred to the earlier years, as there were no records of the occurrence of the moth there from 1960 until a singleton was recorded in 1992. As the species used to occur at the site it seems likely that it had hung on in small numbers giving rise to this later record. In recent years the species is known to be spreading nationally and a singleton was also recorded in the Pitsford Water light traps in 2002. In 2004, 2005 and 2006 moths were seen in more localities sometimes in numbers indicating that the species now has a localised distribution within Northamptonshire.

L.O.N.: 1905. Cliftonville. At light. Barnwell Wold. By beating. Northampton. At light.

First Record: 1882, Hull & Tomalin.