Morley's Final Catalogue: By no means rare; but confined to the coast with its estuaries and the Breck. Freston on the Orwell; Suffolk coast in 1858 (Bree, Ent. Wk. Intell. v, 30) at Felixstow, Aldeburgh and Kessingland, though not for a half-century. One at Waldringfield about 1879 (T. N. Waller). In the Breck it survives at Brandon, Mildenhall (1936, Gd), Elveden, Lackford; Worlington, Herringswell and Tuddenham (Sparke, Entom. 1900, 40); the heaths of the last village seem its headquarters, for there were found larvae in August 1884 by Meek (Entom. xvii, 278) and imagines in July 1929 (Harwood, teste Mly).

Recent Suffolk status: Regularly recorded in the Brecks and along the coast. The Breck region is the national stronghold for this moth. Some coastal records could be immigrants.

Life history: Single-brooded. Regularly seen in the daytime in sunny weather, feeding at flowers such as Vipers bugloss and flying rapidly over the habitat. Also comes to light. Larvae have been found in the county feeding on various flowers.

Identification: Shoulder-striped clover has a dark streak at the base of the forewing. That species is unlikely to be found in the county as it is a resident on heathland mainly in the New Forest, Hants, in the UK.

Habitat: Breck grassland, coastal grassland and sand dunes, forestry rides and wildflower meadows.

Recorded in 28 (48%) of 58 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1858. Last Recorded in 2024. Additional Stats

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