Yorkshire Status: Common and widespread resident.

For many years it was thought that we had two species in Britain, Engrailed and Small Engrailed. The two were mainly separated by flight time, as wing markings and genitalia examination did not show any differences. The situation seem to have been resolved as DNA analysis has shown that these are all the same species which we now call Engrailed, Ectropis crepuscularia. This is a common moth across the county, especially in broad-leaved woodland where at times counts can be large, especially in spring, for example 105 at Low North Camp on 15/3/2022. We have a healthy population and numbers area stable. There are at least two generations, and sometimes three. Moths can be found in any month from February to November.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Recorded from all five vice-counties and both imagines and larvae are said to be frequent. However, this species and E. crepuscularia (Denis & Schiffermuller) are very difficult to separate, even by dissection so the date of capture is often a crucial item of information. In the period when both species are flying almost all records are suspect and the Rothamsted Insect Survey records them as one species for the purpose of their survey because of these difficulties.

Recorded in 156 (78%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 2024.
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