Species Details

ABH: 11.016

BF: 191

Family: Psychidae

Subfamily: Oiketicinae

Taxon: Acanthopsyche atra

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1767)

Vernacular: Lesser Heath Bagworm

Account: Rare (proposed as a future Red Data Book species) on heathland and moorland in three main areas of Britain - Berkshire, Hampshire and Dorset; North Wales, the Pennines and the Lake District; and the Highlands of Scotland. In Hampshire not seen for many years, until one at Castle Bottom NR on 2 April 2001. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan male 16-22 mm, female wingless. The adult moths are seen occasionally, but most records are of larval cases. Larva feeds on various grasses and Sallow, living within a movable case, over-wintering once or twice.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: male 16 — 22 mm; female wingless

Surrey Flight Period: 26 Apr (2009) — 26 Apr (2009)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Gramineae, Salix sp. (a sallow).

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Nb

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 5 — Adults unidentifiable 😖 or pending grading 🧐
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/acanthopsyche-atra/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1

Individuals: 0

Earliest Year: 2009

Latest Year: 2009

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