Local in ditches, marshes and water meadows, and on river-banks in southern England from Kent to Cornwall, through central England as far north as Lancashire and north-east Yorkshire; also in Wales and southern Ireland. In Hampshire there are a few scattered records in both the north and south, and first recorded on the Isle of Wight at Freshwater in 2010. Wingspan 16-21 mm. Resembles D. daucella, which see for differences. Larva feeds on stems and leaves of Fool's Water-cress, Greater Water-parsnip, Hemlock Water-dropwort and Fine-leaved Water-dropwort, overwintering as an adult.
Flightime guide |
Stage | J | F | M |
A | M | J |
J | A | S |
O | N | D |
Adult |
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Larval |
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Detail records |
Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
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VC10 Isle of Wight |
Freshwater (SZ38) | 18-May-2010 | one | Cooke, Dave | Adult |
Shanklin (SZ58) | 09-May-2020 | two | Outlaw, Iain | Adult |
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VC11 South Hampshire |
Southwick (SU60) | 11-Aug-1982 | - | Langmaid, John | Larval |
Southwick (SU60) | 11-Aug-1982 | - | Langmaid, John | Larval |
Southwick (SU60) | 15-Aug-1982 | six | Langmaid, John | Pupal |
Droxford (SU61) | 15-Aug-1982 | - | Langmaid, JR; Sterling, DH; Sterling, PH | Pupal |
The Moors NR, Bishop's Waltham (SU51) | 02-Aug-2001 | - | Langmaid, John & Young, Mark | Pupal |
Ashurst, NF (SU31) | 27-Apr-2007 | one | Godfrey, Keith | Adult |
Chandlers Ford (SU42) | 05-May-2008 | one | Elliott, B | Adult |
Chandlers Ford (SU42) | 01-Sep-2008 | one | Elliott, B | Adult |
Ashurst, NF (SU31) | 24-May-2009 | one | Godfrey, Keith | Adult |
North End (SU60) | 04-Aug-2009 | one | Wearing, Mike | Adult |
Horton Heath (SU41) | 07-Aug-2013 | one | Brown, Andy | Adult |
Ashurst, NF (SU31) | 05-May-2014 | one | Godfrey, Keith | Adult |
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VC12 North Hampshire |
Selborne (SU73) | 24-Oct-1996 | one | Aston, A | Adult |
Pamber Forest (SU66) | 13-Mar-2004 | one | Dennis, Graham | Adult |
Greywell (SU75) | 18-May-2005 | two | Boswell, PA | Adult |
Sherborne St John (SU65) | 12-Apr-2007 | one | Montegriffo, NJ | Adult |
Axmansford (SU56) | 24-Oct-2009 | one | Bolton, Andy | Adult |
Sherborne St John (SU65) | 05-May-2010 | two | Montegriffo, Nick | Adult |
Weston Colley (SU53) | 18-Apr-2011 | one | Green, David G | Adult |
Sherborne St John (SU65) | 04-Oct-2012 | one | Montegriffo, Nick | Adult |
Weston Colley (SU53) | 17-Feb-2013 | one | Green, David G | Adult |
Sherborne St John (SU65) | 23-Jul-2014 | one | Montegriffo, Nick | Adult |
Anna Valley, Andover (SU34) | 30-Jul-2019 | one | Norriss, Tim | Adult |
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