Morley's Final Catalogue: Suffolk, teste W.C. Hewitson Esq. (Stephens, Illust. ii 1828, p. 90). Always common where ragwort grows on sandy or gravelly soils; invariably in myriads throughout the Breck District, whence some 120,000 pupae were exported to New Zealand in 1929 alone (Trans.i,73). Quite rare on the damp boulder-clay throughout High Suffolk: not seen at Monks Soham from 1904 to 1918, when a batch of fifty larvae appeared gregariously; Haughley station 1919; etc. One flirting with P. fuliginosa, Linn. at Fritton Warren on 19 May 1925 (Wiltshire).

Recent Status: Common and widespread. A well-known species more often found as larvae on Ragwort.

Identification: Flies by day in sunshine and comes to light. Sometimes confused by inexperienced observers with the burnet moths.

Habitat: Heathland and sandy soils are favoured but anywhere where Ragwort grows.

Recorded in 54 (93%) of 58 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1919. Last Recorded in 2020. Additional Stats

Exit Recorder