General comments:
Widespread and common resident.

The Buff Footman is absent from Foster's 1937 summary of Hertfordshire records as well as from all previous lists and it is evident that it was not present in the region at that time. Interestingly, it is also absent from the Middlesex list by Buckel & Prout (1889-1901). For the London Area, I showed (Plant, 1993) that a century later there were then still no records in that vice-county whilst in Hertfordshire there was just a single colony at Broxbourne Woods, adding that 'it will be interesting to see if its spread continues and all captures should be recorded and reported'. In Bedfordshire, Arnold et al (1997) state that the moth is a scarce and local species with no records in the area adjacent to Hertfordshire. For Essex, Emmet et al (1985) regarded the Buff Footman as former very rare vagrant now [1985] established as a very local resident. Goodey (2004) notes that it continues to expand its range and is most numerous in the larger woodlands. The present-day map for Hertfordshire and Middlesex shows a spread of records across much of the area and the moth is firmly established here. The colonisation appears to have taken place during the 1990s and in parallel with similar increases in both Orange and Dingy Footman; it is clear that some common factor may be influencing the situation.

Recorded in 33 (80%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1981. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats

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