Morley's Final Catalogue: Ranges through our southern counties only as far as E. Anglia, and is nowhere commoner than in Suffolk, though even here distinctly local. Examples have occurred near Ipswich during the past year (Stephens 1829, p.47). ''In 1853 I took about one hundred and twenty of this moth at sugar in a wood near Ipswich, and noticed that they rarely came until between ten and twelve o'clock, and that they were more abundant when the nights were dark and windy: once I got twenty-seven and once twenty-five, but on unfavourable nights not one. They never fed for any length of time, were very shy, and were easily disturbed by the light of my lantern'' (dealer George King of Ipswich, The Substitute or Entom. Exch. 1857, p.220). This statement, apparently honest and straightforward, was generally discredited upon publication (cf. Zool. 1857; Nat. 1858, p.61, 205 et passim post). To us it seems quite likely that King did discover a spot where the moth was merely in greater plenty than anywhere else: parallel cases are quotable. Not found about Playford by Greene; but Dr. Bree, at that time, had no doubt it was a Suffolk species because (only) Crewe had taken the larva 'two full-fed larvae, 25 August 1856, in a wood near Ipswich (Crewe) and his brother, he believed, another at Woolverstone (lib. cit. 206). By 1890 Harwood and Miller had found the species at Bentley; Lingwood at Needham; and Crewe's locality is entered as Ipswich (Bloomfield). All later records are from Bentley Woods: in May 1893 (Baylis), 1894 (Ml), 1895 (Frost), annually on trunks as well as sugar during 16 June 1894 to 9 June 1898 (Hkg), 1899 (Platten), on sugar in early June 1931 (Trans. i, 234) and at sugar in 1937 (Btn).
Recent Suffolk Status: Extinct as a resident species. A single record on 31.05.2018 at Bawdsey (M. Deans) was the first record in the county since 1937 and was almost certainly a wanderer/immigrant. Nearest populations are in Kent. Many of the former woodland locations to the south of Ipswich have been surveyed for the moth and none were found. Most of these woods are much changed since Morley's time so perhaps the habitat is no longer suitable.
Life history: Single-brooded.
Identification: Could only be mistaken for the Merveille du Jour but that flies in the autumn.
Habitat: Woodland containing mature Oak trees.
Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.
Recorded in 3 (5%) of 58 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1829. Last Recorded in 2018. Additional Stats
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