Yorkshire Status: Rare.

It was a huge surprise to everyone, especially the finder, when this species turned up in a moth trap at Pledwick near Wakefield on 28/8/2018. It was a major contender for the "moth of the year 2018" award. The first record in the country was in Dorset in 1978 (hence the name) followed by single moths in Essex in 2006 and again in Dorset in 2008. This therefore appears to be the fourth record for the UK. It is a mainly southern European species though it does occur in Belgium and the Netherlands, and is said to be locally common in the Paris area. It is known to be moving north. It is double-brooded so this moth will have come from a second brood. Larvae feed on poplars so it is not the sort of species that would be likely to turn up on imported vegetation. It is a fairly distinctive moth so not likely to be misidentified if fresh. The fifth UK record turned up in Norfolk in 2022. Will we see any more?

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 1 (1%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 2018.
Last Recorded in 2018.
Additional Stats