Davey, P., 2009: A local species confined to southern England, the larva feeding on hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and apple (Malus spp.). In Dorset, this handsome moth is very elusive and seldom recorded. It seems to favour mature hawthorn on chalky soils, and all post-1940 records, bar one, originate from chalky soils of the Stour valley. The Bourton locality is close to an old clay quarry covered in mature hawthorn. The Shapwick records refer to moths trapped within the valley to the south of Badbury Rings, close to an old orchard where a small number of apple trees grow, and with some broad hedgerows containing hawthorn in the surrounding open countryside. Ashington also has relatively large amounts of mature hawthorn. West Blagdon is close to the Martin Down nature reserve where there is an abundance of mature hawthorn scrub within large tracts of unimproved grassland. Mature hawthorn in quantity has become scarce as unimproved grassland on chalky soil has been cleared of scrub, improved and subjected to grazing. It is recommended that this species be included in management plans for unimproved grassland sites on chalky soil that contain scrub. All county records follow: Chamberlaynes, three in 1937 (H Andrewes), Blandford, at light on 1 June 1947 (J Howell), Bourton, at MV on 18 May 1998 (J Burge), Shapwick, at MV on 8 May 2000, 9 May 2000, 26 May 2003, 26 and 27 May 2007 (P Davey), Ashington, at MV on 30 June 1986 (J Fradgley), West Blagdon, 26 May 2006 (D Green).

	Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 6 (15%) of 40 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1937.
Last Recorded in 2010.
(Data up to end 2019)