Yorkshire Status: Very rare and very local migrant/wanderer.

This beautiful migrant is sometimes called the Holy Grail of moth trapping. If you are lucky enough to find one in your moth trap, you can sell all your equipment and sit with your feet up as you have achieved the ultimate. Having not been seen in the county for over 50 years, it is very exciting that one turned up in 2023. Here is what we wrote in the annual report:

"This species has not been seen in the county since 1977 so it was a major surprise when one turned up in a garden in Dent. It stayed there for several days enduring some hard frosts then disappeared during strong easterly winds when the weather warmed. Records such as this can be difficult to assess as some people enjoy rearing this and similar species from eggs or larvae which can be readily bought on-line. The finder however has no neighbours who indulge in this practice, and the record coincides nicely with a small influx into to the country with several seen in the south-west at the same time, and one on a North Sea oil platform, so we believe this to be a genuine record."

Its native range is the eastern and southern Mediterranean, North Africa and east to Afghanistan. In addition to oleander, the larvae will feed on lesser periwinkle.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: A rare migrant with only two recent records. Previous records are of several specimens in vice-counties 61-63 (YNU, 1970; Porritt, 1883-86).

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 8 (4%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1867.
Last Recorded in 2023.
Additional Stats