Yorkshire Status: Rare and local resident.

This is another reed-feeding species that was unknown in the county in Porritt's time. Our first record was one at Scarthingwell in 1920, mentioned in Rutherford's list, closely followed by records from Skipwith and Strensall Commons, so unlike many other reed feeders colonising the county, it did not first appear at Spurn. It has not spread as rapidly as Twin-spotted Wainscot, but it reached VC64 in 2006 and VC65 in 2016. It remains a rather elusive moth in Yorkshire with few records. It shows less tendency to wander than Twin-spotted Wainscot, and moth traps set up within the reed bed may have more chance of finding it. 90% of our records are of single moths, though ten were trapped at Potteric Carr NR on 6/8/2008.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: There have been several reports of this moth in recent years, all from low-lying reed-bed areas in the south of the County.

Recorded in 32 (16%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1920.
Last Recorded in 2023.
Additional Stats