Epiblema grandaevana

I wrote a short note for Atropos a few years ago (no 27, pg 86, 2005) to summarise a number of VC55 records of the nationally rare (pRDB1) tort Epiblema grandaevana. When I wrote it, we had records from Seaton Meadows (1 in 2001), Ketton Working Quarry (5 in 2005) and Clipsham Quarry (1 in 2005). There was also a record from a certain Whetstone garden in 2004. Back in 2001 there was only one VC55 moth recorder using a digital stills camera - me. So I was lucky enough to photograph that individual before it was positively identifed. Having then had one in the garden, and taking individuals at both Ketton and Clipsham, I must hold some sort of spurious record as having photographed the most individuals of this species in Britain. Probably. So - where's this leading .....

Epiblema grandaevana - one of two taken at Ketton Quarry on 25/06/2011

The mega list from last Saturday is still being compiled, but two grandaevanas within the actual reserve, rather than over on the private working quarry where we took it before, is excellent and certainly one of the highlights of the night.

As far as I am aware (quite possibly not correct so don't quote me) aside from VC55 this species has only been recorded from Spurn, Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire in the last 20 years.