Yorkshire Status: Rare and very local resident.

We receive very few records of this scarce species of aspen-rich woodland. It can evidently hide for years without revealing its presence - there were no records from the 1880s until 1970! It has now been recorded from several sites in VC62 and our small population is geographically isolated from other populations in the country. One at Pretty Wood south-east of Castle Howard in 2023 was very close to the VC61 boundary and is a long way from previous records. This was our first record since 2020. The scientific name "or" refers to the stigmata on the forewings which are meant to look like the letters "O" and "R". No, I can't either.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: The first Yorkshire record for many years was of a larva found on aspen in the Scarborough area (VC62) on 4.8.1978 by P. Q. Winter. The moth emerged in 1979. A second larva was beaten at a locality about four miles from the first on 6.7.1980 (PQW). This is in the area mentioned by Porritt (1983-86) and it had also been confirmed as present here earlier in the century. It would appear possible that there is a very small resident population.

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

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