Photo © Mike Wall

Small Plume

Oxyptilus parvidactyla

Checklist Number
45.025 [B&F: 1490]

Verification
Record will normally be accepted but photo evidence may be required - check with CMR if not sure of identity

Classification

Family:Pterophoridae
Subfamily:Pterophorinae
Genus:Oxyptilus
Species:parvidactyla
Authority:(Haworth, 1811)

Local, on heaths, dry pastures and chalk downland, throughout the British Isles. In Hampshire, locally common on unspoilt downland, but not recorded recently from the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 13-18mm. Difficult to differentiate from other Oxyptilus, unless reared from the host plant or via dissection. A diurnal moth, and can be seen in afternoon sunshine, until dusk. The flight period is June to July. Larva feeds on Mouse-ear Hawkweed, living within a spun or rolled leaf.

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)

No Larval records to show.

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Ventnor (SZ57)1856-IWGAdult
Sandown (SZ58)1856-IWGAdult
Ventnor (SZ57)1880-SouthAdult

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Portsdown (SU60)13/07/1972oneGeorge R ElseAdult
Oxenbourne Down (SU71)14/07/1972oneGeorge R ElseAdult
Oxenbourne Down (SU71)26/05/1973oneRichard J DicksonAdult
Oxenbourne Down (SU71)25/05/1974oneRichard J DicksonAdult
Oxenbourne Down (SU71)01/06/1974oneRichard J DicksonAdult
Portsdown (SU60)18/07/1981-J R LangmaidAdult
Broughton Down (SU23)03/07/1983-J R Langmaid, D H SterlingAdult
Oxenbourne Down (SU71)06/07/1985-J R LangmaidAdult
Fareham (SU50)03/08/2014oneKeith WheelerAdult
Portsdown (SU60)24/06/2015threeJ R Langmaid, M R YoungAdult
Portsdown (SU60)04/06/2016oneJ R Langmaid, M R YoungAdult
Botley (SU51)06/07/2019oneSue L BaileyAdult
Oxenbourne Down (SU71)01/06/2020oneTony DavisAdult
Chandlers Ford (SU42)19/07/2021oneBrian ElliottAdult
Broughton Down HIWWT NR (SU23)15/06/2022-Robert A ChapmanAdult

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Micheldever (SU54)1971-D W H Ffennell-
Leckford Estate (SU33)29/06/1986-J R Langmaid, D H Sterling, P H Sterling, M S ParsonsAdult
Micheldever (SU54)07/07/2006oneMike Wall & Alison CrossAdult
Weston Colley (SU53)02/07/2010oneDavid G GreenAdult
Old Burghclere (SU45)30/05/2012oneGraham DennisAdult
Old Burghclere (SU45)09/06/2012oneShaun BarrettAdult