Species Account

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Distribution

 
 

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Local

Local Status: Rare and very local resident.

Local Record: Grade 3   See here for explanation

Flight time: One generation, Jul-Aug

Forewing: 12-16mm.

Foodplant: Elms.

Regional breakdown:

 VC61VC62VC63VC64VC65
Year first recorded18831946187119591983
Year last recorded20101967201320132012
Number of records8224116
Number of individuals4016127
Unique positions821953
Unique locations821953
Adult records602196
Immature records12220

For the county, we have a total of 51 records from 37 sites. First recorded in 1871.
 

Photos

73.215 Lesser-spotted Pinion 03
© Barry Spence, 2 Aug 2010
73.215 Lesser-spotted Pinion 02
© Charles Fletcher, 17 Aug 2002
73.215 Lesser-spotted Pinion 01
© Charles Fletcher, 7 Sep 2007

Species Account

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Now rare in the County, probably due to the decline of the English elm, especially in the south where the moth was previously most widespread.

Beaumont, 2002: Scattered records from the south of the County indicate that this species persists at low density.

2012 (CHF): The only two areas where this moth has been recorded recently are in the south of VC63 and in the Ripon area. Other elm-rich areas on the magnesian limestone should be targeted as it is quite elusive and only ever appears in small numbers. There were records at Spurn in 1995 and 2010 and it is not obvious where they originate from. Our populations are the most northerly in the country.
 

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