Status
Morley’s Final Catalogue: Much scarcer than in western or southern England; among ash. Copdock, Bentley Woods, Ipswich, Leiston, &c. The var.rustica, Haw., was found in Ipswich during August 1895
Recent Status: Recorded in Suffolk but not abundant. The var. rustica of Morley is Prays ruficeps.
Life Style: The moth is double brooded and can be found from May to September. The larvae feed on Fraxinus and Ligustrum vulgare. They initially create an irregular gallery leading out from the site of oviposition on the underside at the mid-vein. Later in the bark of a twig, in a bud, shoot or spun terminal leaves.
Identification: The moth is white marked with a dark fuscous triangular patch and termen. There is also a melanic form, with a white or grey head, that should not be confused with P. ruficeps where the head is always a contrasting orange brown and the wing totally devoid of markings.Recorded in 35 (60%) of 58 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1895.
Last Recorded in 2023. |