Yorkshire Status: Local resident.

Porritt's comments from 1883 are interesting - "our county has always been considered headquarters for this moth, and by far the majority of cabinets in the country have been supplied with specimens from the south West Riding, in some parts of which it is often very common", and in 1904, "Mr E Halliday takes this species abundantly at gas lamps around Halifax". It can certainly not be described in these terms nowadays. Whilst it is still fairly common in Scotland, in England it has suffered a major decline and has been lost from many of its old haunts. It still occurs rather locally in Yorkshire, and we have two main populations, on the east coast, particularly in the Filey and Flamborough area but also further up the coast, and in western parts of VC63, 64 and 65. It is undoubtedly under-recorded, particularly in the Dales, as those who trap in October and April record this species on a regular basis. It was noted frequently from 1990-93 at Colt Park when the Rothamsted trap operated here and also at Malham Tarn, so perhaps comes more readily to tungsten bulbs. The males die off in late autumn, but females over-winter and fly again in the spring. This is a moth of open rough grassy areas with hogweed.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Now restricted mainly to moorland and sea cliff areas in Yorkshire. Although there are more records than in the last list (YNU, 1970) few of these are post 1980 and it may still be in decline. However, few people take traps to these remote areas in the later months of the year and it may just be under recorded.

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 49 (25%) of 200 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1845. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats

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