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Little Thorn
Cepphis advenaria (H?bner, 1790)
Geometridae: Ennominae
1901 / 70.221
Photo © Phil Lee,  0, 0Fort Victoria, Isle of Wight

Similar Yorkshire Species: None
Forewing: 14-17mm
Flight: May - June
Foodplant:   Bilberry
Red List: Least Concern (LC)
GB Status: Nationally Scarce
Former Status: Nationally Scarce B
Verification Grade:  Adult: 3

Yorkshire Status: Extinct in Yorkshire.

In 1883 Porritt described Little Thorn as "very local" and listed records from Edlington Wood near Doncaster ("not uncommon") and Maltby Wood near Rotherham. The Edlington Wood record was from 1861 and appears in the Entomologists Weekly Intelligencer where WB Pryer of Haverstock Hill London said "I was fortunate enough to take a couple of E. advenaria". Rutherford in his 1970 list says that it was "common" at Edlington Wood at the turn of the century and mentions a further record there on 14/6/1958 - a solitary female "from whose ova a short series was bred". It has not been seen in the county since.

These were the northernmost records in the country and it seems to have retreated south quite rapidly as it disappeared from some scattered sites in the Midlands, and became confined to two main areas - Hampshire and surrounding counties, and south-east Wales and adjacent parts of England. There is evidence that in recent years the Welsh population may be spreading north. I wouldn't get too excited yet, but there is the possibility that if climate change keeps accelerating, we could yet see this species back in Yorkshire in sunny open woodland in the south of the county.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: The last record of this moth in the County was from Edlington Wood (VC63) on 14.6.1958 (YNU, 1970). Porritt stated it to be not uncommon at this locality. The only other Yorkshire record was from Maltby Wood near Rotherham (Porritt, 1883-86).

Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 1 (1%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 1958.
Additional Stats

Latest 5 Records
Date#VC10k Area
14/06/1958163SK59 - Maltby
01/01/1883 to 31/12/1886+63SK59 - Maltby
1883+63SK59 - Maltby
Further info: Cepphis advenaria
 
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