B&F: 2360

ABH: 73.128

Status: Resident

Distribution and Abundance: Local

Primary Habitat: Wetland

Flight Period: Single brooded from July to September.

Observations: The moth was formerly more common in the county with returns from a garden light trap operated in Wellingborough in the 1950’s showing an annual average of seven moths. In unpublished material on Castor Hanglands from the 1960’s R.E.M. Pilcher regarded the species as common on the reserve, although it has not been seen there since. The indications are that the species prefers damper areas and that it has become more localised within this type of habitat. Records are almost always of single moths at light and almost all "Ear Moths" captured in VC32 turn out to be oculea.

Confusion Species: Other "Ear" species - genitalia dissection required for positive identification

L.O.N.: 1907. Many localities. Common.

First Record: 1859, Sturgess