Yorkshire Status: Rare and very local resident.

A fuller description of this enigmatic moth can be found at More Info as part of the NEYEDC 100 Species Project.

Porritt only knew this species from Askham Bog although Walker recorded it from Birstwith in 1886 and there is a record from Riccall in 1940 (larvae on willow). Since then all records have come from a small area north of Ripon centred around High Batts NR and Bellflask where it was discovered in 1983. Numbers seem to be stable and it is recorded here every year, sometimes in quite high numbers; the maximum being 61 to a single trap at Bellflask on 23/7/2021. Larvae have been found on purple willow. This curious relict population is well to the north of any other populations in the country. It was formerly known from south Lancashire and Cheshire but appears to have disappeared from both these counties so the nearest colonies are over 150 miles away. It is quite possible that there are other undiscovered colonies, probably along the Ure, Swale or Ouse.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Rare in Yorkshire, the County being the northern limit of the species' distribution in Britain. There is only one recent site, but here it seems well established.

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 5 (3%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 2023.
Additional Stats