It appears that this has always been a relatively widespread moth here, but the distribution is patchy and some areas fail to produce it. An interesting comparison of sites is as follows: The trap in the adjoining gardens of James Fish and Julian Reeves in northern Bishops Stortford produced this species in 1995 (first year of trapping), 1997, 1998, 1999 and then each year from 2002 to 2006. A mere 1000 metres south of here, in the same town, where I started trapping in late 1986, I recorded it is 2002, 2003 and 2004, but not in any earlier or later year. A further 800 metres due south of my garden, Charles Watson caught it once only, in 1997, in spite of trapping since the 1970s until his death in October 2005. Such local variations are hard to explain.
A sudden dramatic increase in numbers, coupled with its arrival at new sites, was noted during 2004, in the east of the county in particular and this was repeated during 2007 and again in 2021 & 2022.
Recorded in 37 (90%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1887. Last Recorded in 2024. Additional Stats
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