Davey, P., 2009: A moorland species in northern Britain, but restricted to chalky soil in southern Britain where it is very local, the larva feeding on lady's bedstraw (Galium verum), hedge bedstraw (Galium mollugo) and heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile). In Dorset, the moth is restricted to unimproved grassland and coastal cliff habitat on Portland. In the nineteenth century it was deemed abundant in the 1870s (Dale), and common around 1895 (Richardson). Today the species is best described as extremely local and at low density on the island, probably due to the reduction in the overall extent of unimproved grassland. Recommendations for promoting colonies of this species on Portland include: setting grazing levels on unimproved grassland to increase stocks of lady's bedstraw, and, maintaining areas of scrub and hedgerow that contain hedge bedstraw and also provide shelter for the adult moth. | Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required. | |
Recorded in 4 (10%) of 40 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1884. Last Recorded in 2019. (Data up to end 2019) |