General comments
Immigrant.Temporary resident.

The Vestal is not listed by Foster (1937) and was first noted in Hertfordshire as late as 1947, at Radlett; The first Middlesex record is that from Finchley in 1958. Since that period, it has appeared at first only occasionally, but since 1999 annually and in numbers that have increased as the years progress. Early arrival females often lay eggs and give rise to a later generation of adults, making it hard to know if moths caught are the resulting progeny or fresh immigrants. As yet there are no data to support survival over the winter, so that spring adults are always new immigrants.

Recorded in 30 (73%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1940. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats

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