Species Account
Distribution
Summary Data
Season (Adult / Immature):
|
National Status: Common Local Status: Scarce and local resident. Local Record: Grade 3 See here for explanation Flight time: Mid May-Sep. Forewing: 14-20mm. Foodplant: Bees wax from hives. |
Regional breakdown:
VC61 | VC62 | VC63 | VC64 | VC65 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year first recorded | 1998 | 2003 | 1995 | 1883 | 2006 |
Year last recorded | 2014 | 2003 | 2014 | 2014 | 2013 |
Number of records | 49 | 1 | 18 | 15 | 6 |
Number of individuals | 42 | 1 | 18 | 16 | 6 |
Unique positions | 24 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 1 |
Unique locations | 24 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 1 |
Adult records | 49 | 1 | 18 | 15 | 6 |
Immature records | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
For the county, we have a total of 89 records from 47 sites. First recorded in 1883.
Photos
Species Account
Beaumont, 2002:
VC61. Spurn, 21 & 22.7.1998 (BRS). NEW VICE-COUNTY RECORD.
VC63. Rossington, 20.7.1995, 13.9.2000 (RIH). NEW VICE-COUNTY RECORD.
Argus 50, pub. 2006: The increase in records of this inhabitant of hive bee nests and combs has continued. Inquiries made of Yorkshire beekeepers by Colin Howes (Doncaster Museum) has revealed that the moth first appeared during the late 1990's and has become more frequent during the past two or three years, which mirrors the increase in light trap records over the same period. Records from beekeepers are concentrated in the south and east of the county.
Argus 52, 2006:
VC65. Hutton Conyers, 16 & 25.9.2006 (CHF). NEW VICE-COUNTY RECORD.
Current status (HEB, 2011): Porritt listed only an old record from Leeds (VC64). There were no further records until it occurred at Rossington (VC63) in 1995 and Spurn (VC61) in 1998. In recent years moths have been attracted to MV light quite widely; this has coincided with reports from Yorkshire beekeepers of infestations of this moth in their hives for the first time.
See background to species accounts. Index of Vernacular names - Search - Random Species