Yorkshire Status: Local resident.

Porritt just knew of one record of this species, as Stainton had included "York" as a site in "A Manual of British Butterflies and Moths" in 1859. Numbers have increased quite a lot in the last few years, and we have records all over the county, apart from higher ground in the north and west. Some extremely large numbers have been seen in VC61, flying round the food plant, common spike-rush (Eleocharus palustris) on sunny days in June and July, for example 460 at North Cliff Marsh at Flamborough on 27/6/2024 and 300 at North Duffield Carrs on 7/6/2006. It often turns up in small numbers at light a considerable distance away from apparently suitable habitat. These are probably just wandering moths, but it is not impossible that it is using other food plants at times; on the continent it feeds on other rushes and on reed-mace. Wing markings are usually sufficiently distinct to allow identification without dissection.

Recorded in 43 (22%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1859.
Last Recorded in 2024.
Additional Stats