General Remarks:

Widespread, perhaps ubiquitous, across the entire area of both counties including the urban zones of Central London. The species will be found wherever there is grassland and larvae have even been recorded in lawns in the North London area (although it is possible that this may have related to imported turf). The success of this species in comparison with the other four Swift species is doubtless due in no small part to its annual life cycle - all of the other four having a requirement to over-winter twice in the larval stage and thus being unable to colonise regularly disturbed areas.


Hertfordshire Notes:
In The Moths of Hertfordshire (2008) we noted that the possibility exists that the seven records then known from August, all unsupported by specimens, might relate to misidentified Orange Swifts. This now seems rather unlikely; the updated phenology chart now shows that there is a healthy second generation of adults in August. This situation has developed since approximately year 2000, prior to which we recorded adults from mid-May to early July only.

Middlesex Notes:
Under-recorded in many areas and likely to be found if looked for. Adults come readily to small, battery-powered lamps as well as bigger moth traps.

Recorded in 37 (90%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1888. Last Recorded in 2024. Additional Stats

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