Yorkshire Status: Fairly widespread resident.

Porritt commented in 1883 that this species was found in gardens amongst currant bushes. This is still the case, and in 2023, almost 90% of records were from gardens. Other records tend to come from damp woodland with wild currant. It is usually seen in small numbers, though in good habitat it can be more common, for example 21 were trapped at Old Sleningford Forest Garden on 23/7/2018 - a wild garden with masses of currants, so ideal habitat. It is fairly easy to identify being larger and more attractive than Small Phoenix and flying later than Water Carpet. Its distribution in the county follows its foodplant. Numbers have slowly fallen in Yorkshire. Perhaps fewer people are growing currants.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: A fairly local species, although recorded from all five vice-counties. Often found at light in areas with gardens and allotments where the larvae feed on currants and gooseberry. P. Q. Winter reports that larvae reared at Muston (VC61) preferred gooseberry which is also fairly common growing wild in the area, but currants have been reported as the foodplant elsewhere.

Recorded in 132 (66%) of 200 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1880. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats

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