Yorkshire Status: Common and fairly widespread resident.

"Common among sallow probably everywhere" said Porritt in 1907. This is still true and it is well distributed across the county. Although we receive almost equal numbers of records of Common Wave and Common White Wave, Common Wave is thought of as being a little rarer as it is found in gardens less frequently. In sallow-rich habitat however it can be common, for example 63 at Thorne Moor on 3/7/2014. Take care not to confuse the two species. Common Wave is browner with more curving cross lines. It is commonly seen flying at dusk. It is more clearly bivoltine than Common White Wave, having overlapping broods.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Recorded from damp areas overall five vice-counties, although rather locally in VC61 and apparently absent from the Wolds. Occasionally common but generally taken in smaller numbers than C. pusaria (Linnaeus).

Recorded in 159 (80%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 2024.
Additional Stats