Yorkshire Status: Local resident.

This species was first seen in Yorkshire in 1938 at Strensall Common, and soon after at Skipwith Common. Numbers were very low until the 1980s when it started to be seen in low numbers at various sites. From 2005, it started to become a lot more common, with spread across low-lying areas, and by 2012 there were records from all five vice-counties. Like many other reed-feeding moths, it is doing well and has greatly increased its range in many parts of the UK. It is easy to identify but can be mistaken for the micro Calamotropha paludella or perhaps Chilo phragmitella, though these species have longer palps. It is said to like the drier parts of reed beds with lots of plant debris, and whilst most records are from reed beds, it does tend to wander to other areas at times. It has a number of distinctive forms. Counts can sometimes reach double figures in good habitat, though 75 at Skerne Wetlands on 19/7/22 was exceptional.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Now recorded from several sites in Yorkshire, but not recently confirmed from its original sites at Skipwith (VC61) and Strensall (VC62).

Recorded in 61 (31%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1929.
Last Recorded in 2024.
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