B&F: 2265

ABH: 73.188

Status:  Resident.

Distribution and Abundance:  Rare - possibly becoming extinct locally

Primary Habitat:  Woodland.

Flight Period:  Single brooded in September and October.

Localities:  Hazelborough Forest, Fineshade, Bedford Purlieus and Castor Hanglands.

Observations:  The moth was common in actinic light traps in the 1970’s at Grafton Park Wood, but was much less so at m.v. lights in the 1980’s and 1990’s at Geddington Chase. It also comes to sugar and ivy bloom; several were seen feeding on the latter on 8 October 1988 at Collyweston Quarry. Generally the species seems to have become rather less common in recent years. Returns from a garden light trap at Woodnewton show an annual average of nine moths recorded in the three years to 2009, whereas it was unrecorded in the Pitsford Water light traps in the decade to 2009.

L.O.N.:  1905. Near Northampton. At sugar.

First Record:  1863, Smith.