Photo © Mike Wall

Wormwood

Cucullia absinthii

Checklist Number
73.050 [B&F: 2211]

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

Classification

Family:Noctuidae
Subfamily:Cuculliinae
Genus:Cucullia
Species:absinthii
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1761)

Nationally scarce (Nb) on sea cliffs, quarries and embankments, along the coasts of southern England and Wales. From the middle of the 20th Century also inland on derelict industrial sites in the Midlands, but since about 1964 records on these inland sites have become fewer. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight has virtually disappeared from the coast, but still appears occasionally inland, most recently at Sherborne St John in July 2007 and at Great Linford in the New Forest in June 2008. Wingspan 42-45 mm. The main confusion species is probably Scarce Wormwood Cucullia artemisiae, but this species lacks the figure 8 in the stigmata, which are edged with black instead of white, and has narrower forewings with brownish rather than black suffusion (MBGBI Vol 10). Larva feeds on flowers and seedheads of Wormwood, 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)

No Larval records to show.

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Ventnor (SZ57)1849-A Maitland EmmetLarval
Bembridge (SZ68)09/1858-WallLarval
Bonchurch (SZ57)14/07/1998oneJames HalseyAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)31/07/2013oneJames HalseyAdult

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Portsmouth (SZ69)1800-Robert Hayward-
Portchester (SU60)07/07/1977oneKeith WheelerAdult
Winchester (SU43)31/07/1978oneD H SterlingAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)07/08/1979oneJohn WaltersAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)07/08/1979oneJ WaltersAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)1980-J WaltersAdult
Portsdown Hill (SU60)08/08/1981oneAlastair GoodallAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)05/08/1985oneJohn WaltersAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)05/08/1985oneJ WaltersAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)16/08/1988oneJ WaltersAdult
Hayling Island (SZ79)16/08/1988oneJohn WaltersAdult
Southsea (SZ69)24/07/1989oneJ R LangmaidAdult
Titchfield Haven NNR (SU50)01/07/1992twoPeter M PottsAdult

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
South Wonston (SU43)18/07/1998oneP J S SmithAdult
South Wonston (SU43)25/07/1998oneP J S SmithAdult
Greywell (SU75)27/07/2001onePaul BoswellAdult
Sherborne St John (SU65)16/07/2007oneNick MontegriffoAdult