Distribution and Abundance: Common.

Primary Habitat: Woodland.

Flight Period: Single brooded in February and March.

Observations: The moths sometimes emerge early in mild weather. Due to its early flight season the species is under recorded. At Geddington Chase a female was taken in a Gradwell trap on 18 December 1988 and numerous males were attracted to actinic light on 6 January 1990. In the past I have added to grid square coverage by finding moths resting a few feet from the ground in the chinks in the bark on the north side of oak trees. Examples of these finds are on 7 March 1987 at Wakerley Wood and 20 February 1997 at Pitsford Reservoir. The melanic example illustrated was taken at m.v. light on 12 February 2005 in Fermyn Woods and shows the wide range of colour forms that occur in the county.

L.O.N.: 1907. Many localities. Common.

First Record: 1882, Hull & Tomalin.