General comments: Extinct resident.
Widespread and common to the very end of the 1970s and then it suddenly crashed and disappeared. In the present century, there are only two reports - from East Barnet in 2004 and Wembley in 2009. There is no particular reason to doubt these records, although neither is supported by either a specimen or a photograph. We are not alone in losing this moth, which has declined drastically in both number and distribution across Britain. The main cause is popularly supposed to be the huge reduction in the number of domestic gardens and allotments growing Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) and Gooseberry (R. uva-crispa) coupled with an increase in garden pesticide use. Recorded in 21 (51%) of 41 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1884. Last Recorded in 2009. |