Species Account

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Distribution

 
 

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Migrant

Local Status: Rare and very local migrant/wanderer.

Local Record: Grade 3   See here for explanation

Flight time: Recorded all months (most Aug-Oct).

Forewing: 18-21mm.

Foodplant: Grasses.

Regional breakdown:

 VC61VC62VC63VC64
Year first recorded1948200820042000
Year last recorded2008200820082001
Number of records24123
Number of individuals25123
Unique positions12123
Unique locations14123
Adult records24123
Immature records0000

For the county, we have a total of 30 records from 20 sites. First recorded in 1948.
 

Photos

73.296 White-speck 02
© Barry Spence, 20 Oct 2004
73.296 White-speck 01
© John Edwards

Species Account

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: There has only been one documented record of this species in Yorkshire, however another older record, also from VC61, has now come to light. It is somewhat surprising that there have only been two occurrences of this migrant in Yorkshire. Although erratic, it is sometimes quite frequent in southern Britain and casual specimens have been recorded as far north as the Hebrides (Skinner, 1984). Perhaps its usual migration route is up the western coast, so bypassing Yorkshire.

Beaumont, 2002:
VC61. Muston, 21.9.1989 (Bretherton & Chalmers-Hunt, 1990), 22.10.2000 (Frost & Winter, 2001); Spurn, one at sugar 14.10.1989 (PAC), four 5-21.10.2000 (CJ, BRS), Kilnsea two 6.10.2000, 18.10.2000 (DPB).
VC64. Sharow, 15.10.2000 (Frost & Winter, 2001). NEW VICE-COUNTY RECORD.

Argus 56, 2008:
VC62. Great Smeaton, 13.9.2008 (JE). NEW VICE-COUNTY RECORD.

2012 (CHF): The ten records in 2000 are still the biggest influx of this sporadic migrant. There have been small numbers of further records in 2001/3/4/5 & 8 including first records for VC62 (Great Smeaton 13.9.2008) and VC63 (Shelley near Huddersfield 12.7.2008).
 

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