Yorkshire Status: Very common and fairly widespread resident.

"Generally common, often abundant" said Porritt in 1883. This is still the case. It is a lichen-feeder, mostly lichens growing on roofs, walls and rocks, so common in urban areas around buildings. It is widespread across most of the county in good numbers, and counts of forty or fifty at a time can occasionally occur. Numbers in the county may have increased a little in recent years, and we usually receive over 1000 records per year. Despite the comments in Sutton and Beaumont below, it is still not obvious why it is common in heavily industrialised areas.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: This is a species associated with buildings and stone walls, the larvae feeding on the lichens which favour this habitat. However records suggest it is locally common in rural areas where most lichens would be expected and most frequent or even abundant in many heavily industrialised urban areas. Because of this apparent anomaly Garland (1979) suggests there may be an alternative foodplant in Sheffield.

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Recorded in 153 (77%) of 200 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1883. Last Recorded in 2024. Additional Stats

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