Yorkshire Status: Very rare and very local vagrant.

The communal larvae of this moth have been reported from various sites in the London area since 2006, mostly on imported oaks. In 2009, a larval nest was found on an imported oak in Leeds. Searches in 2010 failed to find any more at this site however another larval web was found at a site in Sheffield, again on an imported oak. In 2019, a further larval nest was found in Hull on a recently planted oak which was subsequently destroyed. This species is a quarantine pest as the larval hairs can sometimes causes severe symptoms. Any suspected occurrence should be reported to the Forestry Commission, however it appears to be well established in the south east and it is likely that despite control measures, we are fighting a losing battle against this species. In 2023, the first adult moth was seen in the county, in a light trap near Scarborough. It arrived at a time of high migrant activity.

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 4 (2%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 2009.
Last Recorded in 2023.
Additional Stats