Local in mature hedgerows, woodland edges and old sunken lanes in southern England, the Midlands and East Anglia, with records north to Durham. The presence of this species in Hampshire was confirmed in the late 1970s, when a few specimens were taken at light and larvae were located on Rough Chervil in the Winchester area. Since then a few individuals have turned up in scattered localities, including two in the Basingstoke area. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight since 1856. Wingspan 19-22 mm. Similar to D. depressana, which see for differences, and D. pimpinellae, from which D. chaerophylli can be separated by the restriction of the reddish brown ground colour to the inner one-quarter of the forewing, and the conspicuous black spotting along the termen (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). Larva feeds on Rough Chervil, living between flowers spun together with silk.
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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VC8 Wiltshire (Hants county) |
Martin Down NNR (SU01) | 24-Aug-1990 | - | Nash, S | - |
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VC10 Isle of Wight |
Niton (SZ57) | 1856 | - | IWNHS | Adult |
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VC11 South Hampshire |
Broughton Down (SU23) | 1700 | - | Unknown | - |
Broughton Down (SU23) | 1971 | - | Ffennell, DWH | - |
Braishfield (SU32) | 15-Jul-1998 | - | Langmaid, JR; O'Keeffe, D | Pupal |
Braishfield (SU32) | 01-Jun-1999 | - | Elliott, Brian | Larval |
Broughton Down (SU23) | 11-Aug-2007 | one | Dobson, Tony | Adult |
Burton, nr Christchurch (SZ19) | 05-May-2010 | one | Southworth, Jean | Adult |
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VC12 North Hampshire |
Wildhern (SU35) | 06-Apr-2000 | one | Green, David G | Adult |
Basingstoke (SU65) | 05-Mar-2004 | one | Wall, Mike | Adult |
Greywell (SU75) | 27-Sep-2004 | one | Boswell, PA | Adult |
Sherborne St John (SU65) | 09-Apr-2007 | one | Wall, Mike | Adult |
Greywell (SU75) | 10-Apr-2007 | one | Boswell, PA | Adult |
Chilbolton (SU33) | 12-Aug-2009 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Whitchurch (SU45) | 21-Mar-2011 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Chilbolton (SU44) | 22-Mar-2011 | two | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Forton (SU44) | 22-Mar-2012 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Goodworth Clatford (SU34) | 09-Sep-2012 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Stockbridge Down (SU33) | 30-Mar-2014 | one | Alison, Jamie | Adult |
Little Somborne (SU33) | 30-Mar-2014 | one | Alison, Jamie | Adult |
Leckford Estate (SU33) | 02-Apr-2014 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Whitchurch (SU45) | 03-Apr-2014 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Basingstoke (SU65) | 14-Apr-2014 | one | Wall, Mike | Adult |
Leckford Estate (SU33) | 27-Aug-2016 | two | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Leckford Estate (SU33) | 27-Aug-2016 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Leckford Estate (SU33) | 04-Sep-2016 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Newton Stacey (SU43) | 14-Aug-2017 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Cholderton (SU24) | 27-Jul-2018 | one | Norriss, Tim, Henry Edmunds | Adult |
Wonston (SU44) | 02-Aug-2018 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Chilbolton (SU33) | 05-Apr-2019 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Nether Wallop (SU33) | 01-May-2019 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
Wherwell (SU34) | 07-Oct-2019 | one | Evans, Glynne | Adult |
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