Identification

A very distinctive thickset grey and white moth with a black comma in the pale area.

Life cycle

One generation. Overwinters as a pupa. Larvae are present late May to late July.

Larval foodplants

Pedunculate Oak and Sessile Oak.

Habitat

A wide variety of habitats wherever there are oaks.

History 1860-2010

Duncan & Cunningham (1952) record the first for VC72 and Solway when one was caught at Tynron on 6th June 1951. However, they were unaware of an earlier record from Parton (VC73) in 1935 (BRC data). Duncan caught another soon after the first, at Closeburn (VC72).

There were a series of records trapped at Irvine House Lodge at Auchenrivock in 1974, and three records from Waterside Mains Rothamsted station during 1977-82, with one other from the Newton Stewart station in 1978. On the Hensol Estate it was trapped on four separate nights in 1982.

From 1995 to 2010 the regular trapped sites at Kirkton and Cally Woods amassed thirty records, and to a lesser degree, Durisdeer, Closeburn, Auchencairn, Cream o’ Galloway, Carsfad at Dalry and Forest Moor all contributing three records each.