General comments:
Very local resident; declining.

At the national level, the population of Dark Spinach moths has apparently declined by 95 per cent since 1970 and the insect now formally qualifies as an Endangered species under the formal IUCN criteria. A decline in this species in the London Area was predicted by me (Plant, 1993). I commented that as pressure increases in London to build on derelict plots where the foodplant grows the moth would inevitably become scarcer. Goosefoot (Chenopodium) and Orache (Atriplex) are both common plants, but their distribution in Hertfordshire and Middlesex is very patchy and sites are temporary. Modern desires for tidiness in the urban and suburban environments must contribute to the demise of the foodplants and to the overall loss of habitat for Dark Spinach moths.

Recorded in 30 (73%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1828. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats

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