Morley’s Final Catalogue: Not listed.

Recent Status: An increasingly frequent species. Established in Suffolk and probably supplemented by immigrants.

Life Style: A night flying species that comes to light The moth is generally quoted as being double brooded. However the temporal appearance of the moth in Suffolk suggests this may be more complex. The larvae are stated as feeding on Goosefoot but there seems to be no information available on the larvae. The vernacular name is misleading since the species is not confined to the salt-marsh. The variation in abundance between years suggests a climatic influence and it is quite possible that the species will only survive at the milder coastal locations during cold winters and is then capable of rapid population growth. Climate change has probably contributed towards the increasing abundance of Ancylosis oblitella.

Identification: Ancylosis oblitella is an exceedingly variable species. Individuals can be found that are almost white without clear markings to others that are black with only traces of the pre and post median lines. Identification in these extreme cases needs to be based on the overall habitus of the species. The palps are erect but not overly prominent. In well marked examples the dentate dorsal part of the pre median line with the black and brown patches basad to it are a key character for identification.

Recorded in 25 (43%) of 58 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1987. Last Recorded in 2024. Additional Stats

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