Yorkshire Status: Local resident.

"On moorlands, but not often common" said Porritt in 1907, and it would be hard to argue that this is not true nowadays. This is a moth of heather moorland, and unless one traps in moorland locations in early autumn, it is likely to remain Neglected. At some sites, for example Glaisdale Moor, Keighley Moor and Norland Moor, counts can be over 20 at a time, but at most sites it is seen in smaller numbers. It also occurs in reasonable numbers at Strensall Common, wandering to York at times, but has never been seen on any of our other lowland heaths. It is not prone to wander, and lowland records usually turn out to be misidentifications of Square-spotted Clay, however after westerly winds in can appear unexpectedly in the lowlands for example moths at Hutton Conyers in 2022 and Wombwell in 2023. It has never been seen in VC61 or the east of VC63. Both the red and the grey forms occur in the county, probably in roughly equal proportions. The black inner part of the reniform stigma is a good identification marker.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: 'Neglected' seems a very suitable name for this species! There are relatively few recent records, nearly all from high moorland or heathland in the Vale of York. Although we have no VC65 records it has been widely taken in Upper Teesdale from Middleton-in-Teesdale, Langdon Beck and Sun Wood at High Force, all in VC66 (IF; Dunn & Parrack, 1986).

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 62 (31%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 2023.
Additional Stats