Recently the species has been fairly regularly recorded from the woodlands to the North-east of the county including Bedford Purlieus, Castor Hanglands, Easton Hornstocks & Collyweston Wood, Fermyn Wood and Ring Haw/Sulehay. 

 

The moth has also turned up in various gardens in the north-east of the county, namely at Woodnewton and Barnack.

 

There are also records of the moth from the woodland in the south-west of the county, namely Yardley Chase and Salcey Forest.  Again, these woods have been less well worked in recent years and hopefully proposed surveys in these areas will once again record the insect.

 

Originally it is likely that the species colonised damp woodland in the nineteenth century following the draining of the fens. Early records suggest that the influx was from the north-east, Rockingham Forest woodlands first becoming involved followed by those of Salcey and Yardley. After the advent of m.v. light traps in the 1950’s the moth was increasingly found to be locally widespread in these woodlands.  It was prized by collectors of the day and sometimes could be found commonly on the stems of its food plant. The larvae feed internally on the stems of small-reed [Calamagrostis spp.] at dusk without the need to resort to light trapping.

In the mid 1990’s it became less common and was not seen in some former strongholds despite specific searches.  Although the position was unclear, it seemed that roughly a reversal of the original colonization had taken place in that the species was contracting its range and abundance from the north-east and that climatic factors may have been involved.  The moth was noticeably more plentiful by the mid 2000’s and this has continued in subsequent years.  Currently it seems to be back to its former levels of abundance in its best sites.