Photo © Keith Tailby

Broom-tip

Chesias rufata

Checklist Number
70.196 [B&F: 1865]

Verification
Record will require further evidence, at least a good photograph, unless CMR is aware recorder has confidence in identification

Classification

Family:Geometridae
Subfamily:Larentiinae
Genus:Chesias
Species:rufata
Authority:(Fabricius, 1775)

Nationally scarce (Nb) on heathland, open woodland, scrubby embankments and roadside verges in parts of south-eastern England and discontinuously from Devon to Cumbria, also in Scotland (ssp. scotica), a species of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In Hampshire much more local and uncommon than C. legatella; the difficulty of finding it is compounded by the fact that it has such a long flight period. Recorded on the Isle of Wight for the first, and so far only, time at Cranmore in 1993. Wingspan 34-36 mm. Fairly unmistakable. Larva feeds on Broom, over-wintering as a pupa.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Cranmore (SZ39)1993-Sam Knill-JonesAdult

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Lower Titchfield Haven NR (SU50)28/06/1964oneJ R LangmaidAdult
Botley Wood (SU51)03/07/1970threeRichard J DicksonAdult
Botley Wood (SU50)1979oneD H SterlingAdult
Needs Ore NNR (SZ49)1979-Anon-
Botley Wood (SU51)02/06/1979-Tony DobsonAdult
Botley Wood (SU50)02/06/1979-J R Langmaid et al Adult
Highcliffe (SZ29)1981-E H WildAdult
Allington GP (SU41)16/04/1983-Phil BuddAdult
Brockenhurst (SU20)19/06/1983oneJohn ChaineyAdult
Brockenhurst, NF (SU20)26/06/1990oneJohn ChaineyAdult
Brockenhurst (SU20)26/06/1990oneJohn ChaineyAdult
Botley Wood (SU50)31/03/1998oneRichard J DicksonAdult
Netley (SU40)04/07/1998onePhil HalliwellAdult
Royal Victoria Country Park (SU40)28/06/2000onePhil BuddLarval

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Woolmer Forest and Longmoor Camp (SU73)1976-J D Holmes-
Fleet (SU85)25/07/1990oneMick AScott,MGMcCarthyAdult
Fleet Pond (SU85)25/07/1990oneGraham StephensonAdult