Hantsmoths

Nationally scarce (Nb) in heathland, scrub and woodland in England and Wales, as far north as Westmorland and Co. Durham, and in Scotland, where it is recorded from Kirkcudbrightshire and Perthshire (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). In Hampshire formerly fairly frequent locally in the New Forest, where the larva could be found in rolled leaves of Bog Myrtle, but since 1983 only recorded once, from Matley Bog on 25 August 2006; on the Isle of Wight, recorded just twice, and not since 1973. Wingspan male 17-20 mm, female 6-10 mm. The males fly in sunshine around midday on warm days and assemble to the flightless females. Larva polyphagous on Bog-myrtle, Sallow, Blackthorn, Meadowsweet, Silverweed, Bramble and Buckthorn, living between leaves spun together with silk, over-wintering as a pupa.

VC10 Isle of Wight

VC11 South Hampshire