Species Details

ABH: 73.028

BF: 2415

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Acontiinae

Taxon: Acontia lucida

Authority: (Hufnagel, 1766)

Vernacular: Pale Shoulder

Account: Rare immigrant from southern Europe, appearing in southern England on approximately 15 occasions in the 19th Century, but there were none for over 100 years until the 1990s, since when there have been over 60 reports nationwide, including 20+ in 2020 with indications of local breeding in Sussex. In our area, the first was in the New Forest in 1996, with further individuals in North Hampshire in 2004 and Isle of Wight in 2013, representing firsts for each of the three vice-counties. Since 2018 it has been more or less annual, with three on the Island in 2022. Wingspan 30-32 mm. Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Ground-ivy, Field Bindweed, Common Mallow, Dwarf Mallow and Marsh-mallow.

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: 30 — 32 mm

Surrey Flight Period: —

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

Foodplant:

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

Status: Rare migrant

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/acontia-lucida/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1

Individuals: 0

Earliest Year: 2019

Latest Year: 2019

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