Yorkshire Status: Local resident.

This is the larger, paler and less common version of Winter Moth. The hindwing is quite a lot paler, and it tends to have a more silky appearance. The hindwing also tends to protrude from beneath the forewing to a much greater extent than seen in Winder Moth. The two are fairly easy to confuse, but if in doubt, it's usually Winter Moth, especially in gardens. If you are trapping however in November in birch woodland, the situation will be different, eg 26 at Birch Wood YWT on 10/11/2021. It may be commoner than records suggest as few people venture out into woodlands in November. It is also possible to confuse this with a small late Epirrita species. Another clue is the date - Northern Winter Moth has normally finished flying by early December whereas Winter Moth goes on to the end of January.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: There should be no shortage of suitable habitat for this species in most parts of Yorkshire but it is generally only sparsely recorded from all five vice-counties. This is almost certainly a combination of under-recording due to the lateness of season and due to confusion with O. brumata (Linnaeus), for instance G. T. Foggitt reports it to occur annually at Pannal (VC64) with a maximum of twenty-seven in 1981 compared to ninety brumata.

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 77 (39%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 2024.
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