General comments:
Widespread but local resident.

British examples of this species are referable to subspecies britannica, with the nominotypical form confined to mainland Europe. The adults come freely to light traps and are likely to be present on most sites where the ground is slightly calcareous. However, our local population is firmly based on the Upper Chalk geology and a large proportion of our records are from that area. As with the Brown Scallop, it is also very widely reported across both Hertfordshire and Middlesex, especially in areas affected by the Chalky Boulder Clay. It is clearly less fussy than the Brown Scallop but this might reflect the fact that the larvae feed on Alder Buckthorn as well as Buckthorn itself; Alder Buckthorn has in recent years been used extensively in roadside plantings.

Recorded in 29 (71%) of 41 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1893.
Last Recorded in 2024.