General comments:
Local and Scarce. It does come to light traps but is usually encountered in single figures only. It may, however, be better attracted to sugar than to light?It seems that there is great scope for confusion with the Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata. Much of the problem undoubtedly lies in the fact that a more or less plain, sooty-brown industrial melanic form accounts for almost the entire the population here; typical specimens are probably not likely to be confused, but are apparently not reported in either county. Unfortunately, older records in the literature do not record the form of the moths encountered and it is not possible to know when the melanic form emerged here. The melanic form that we encounter is perhaps ab. obscura Tutt, but several standard identification guides also refer to an additional 'sooty brown form prevalent in the London area' unhelpfully failing to either define or name it. There is scope for interesting genetic research here if anyone is looking for a subject for their PhD thesis!

It is likely to be under-recorded in both Hertfordshire and Middlesex.

Recorded in 20 (49%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1899. Last Recorded in 2022. Additional Stats

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