B&F: 2377

ABH: 73.137

Status: Resident.

Distribution and Abundance: Local.

Primary Habitat: Wetland.

Flight Period: Single brooded in July and August.

Localities: Pitsford Water, Priors Hall Quarry, Fermyn Woods and Helpston.

Observations: The species is almost certainly under recorded. Most records are of moths caught in garden light traps, presumably wanderers from established colonies. Despite this the follow up of a 1965 record from Wittering Marsh at the nearby Whitewater Reservoir was unsuccessful. This site contains a large expanse of well established reed beds and is reminiscent of the moths habitat on the Norfolk Broads. Several m. v. lights were run in the flight period at the Reservoir over a four year period during the 1990’s without seeing the moth. In 2005 a strong colony was found to be present in the linear reed bed at Priors Hall Quarry underlining the moths local distribution in this county. Although this site is scheduled for development my understanding is that the reed bed is to be retained as part of the conservation plan. The species was taken for the first time as a singleton in 2002 at Pitsford Water. In the seven years since it has only been seen in 2006 when six were taken.

L.O.N.: Vict. Hist.

First Record: 1882 Hull & Tomalin.