B&F: 2153

ABH: 73.277

Status: Former resident.

Distribution and Abundance: Local.

Primary Habitat: The latest records are from woodland and wetland.

Flight Period: Dated records extend from 13 May to 15 July.

Localities and last record: Bedford Purlieus to 1964, Easton Hornstocks to 1938 and  Castor Hanglands pre 1961. Last record 1975 Borough Fen Decoy (R. Pilcher).

Observations: Writing in the 1960’s in his unpublished paper, “The Lepidoptera of Castor Hanglands and Ailsworth Heath 1911 – 1960,” R. E. M. Pilcher stated that the species was not rare on the reserve. Despite this it has not been recorded there since the review period. Although Wallis was able to quote the four localities below in 1906 additional notes show that the numbers involved were not high. It does not seem to have been noted in the county again until 24 June 1933 when a moth was seen at Broughton. The species was then only recorded in 1938 before the advent of m.v. light trapping in the 1950’s when garden trap records from Wellingborough are as follows:-
14 June 1952 - 1
23 June 1953 - 1 (female)
24 June 1953 - 1 (male)
30 June 1953 - 1
11 July 1954  - 1
16 June 1956 - 1
Generally the indications are that the species was never particularly common in the county.

L.O.N.: 1906. Wadenhoe, Thrapston, Earls Barton, Ashton Wold. Comes to treacle.

First Record: 1882, Hull & Tomalin.