Yorkshire Status: Fairly common and fairly widespread resident.

This is moth of lowland grassy areas, particularly in calcareous districts, and is not uncommon in the centre and east of Yorkshire. It is much less common in western districts and is rare in counties to our west and north. Porritt was aware of just two records and in 1907 commented "a great rarity, and probably introduced". It was next found in 1955 (as in Sutton and Beaumont below) and rapidly expanded for several years. Numbers levelled out after 1996 and possibly declined, a little though it has done very well in the last few years. The biggest count is 58 at Easington (Spurn) on 27/7/2009. It is often seen by day, often on knapweed flowers.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Only recorded by Porritt (1883-86) from Huddersfield (VC63) and York (VC61/62/64). No further records occurred until 22.8.1955, when W. Reid captured one in Sheffield (Reid, 1955). It was next found in the County in the early 1970s when a great expansion of the species occurred. It spread from the south-east and is now widespread over south and central areas of Yorkshire. It has been commented (PQW pers. comm.) that the peak abundance after the range increase seems to have passed in some areas. Possibly regulatory factors such as predators or parasites are finding a balance suitable for the new conditions.

Recorded in 108 (54%) of 200 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1869. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats

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