WMG - High Priority Moth Species

High Priority for Conservation - Regional & National Importance

The following 6 species have been identified as high priority moths for this region by Dr Paul Waring
(see Bourn, Warren & Kirkland 1996) and all occur in less than 15 ten km squares nationally

Scarce Hook-tip - Sabra harpagula

Barberry Carpet - Pareulype berberata

Pauper Pug - Eupithecia egenaria

Northern Footman - Eilema sericea

Orange Upperwing - Jodia croceago

White-spotted Pinion - Cosmia diffinis

Regional Action Plans

The following information has been extracted from Dr Paul Waring’s draft of ‘An Atlas of the Nationally Scarce and Threatened Macromoths of Great Britain’ (Waring, in prep.).

Scarce Hook-tip - Sabra harpagula

Distribution and Status - This species has a very restricted distribution in Britain and appears to be confined to woodland the Wye Valley on the border of Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire. However, it is found regularly in the Wye Valley and the population appears to be stable. It may well be more widely distributed in Gloucestershire than current records suggest. (RDB 3 - Rare)

Threats - Extensive felling of Small-leaved Lime

Management - Ideally cutting small areas of lime in rotation

Actions and Targets

Action	BC’s Targets	Possible Partners
1. Further survey of Wye valley woodlands to determine its current status.	By 2002	Local volunteers, land owners
2. Support ecological research on habitat preferences so that the likely impact of woodland management schemes can be assessed	By 2005	EN, FE
3. Continue to provide feedback to the land owners or managers of any sites where this species is found so that they can be maintained in the long term.	Ongoing	Wildlife Trusts, EN, County Councils

Barberry Carpet - Pareulype berberata

Distribution and Status - Only 3 wild breeding colonies of this species are known in Britain one of which is in Gloucestershire. However, as adults are occasionally reported light-trapped elsewhere so there may well be other colonies yet to be found.
(RDB 1 - Endangered)

Threats - Removal of Berberis spp. (the larval foodplant) largely because of the presence of Wheat-rust fungus (Puccinia graminis)

- General hedgerow removal and mechanised trimming

- Fire damage

Survey - 4 larvae seen at Gloucestershire site in 1995 (data from P.Waring) compared with three each on similar searches in 1988 and 1989 (Waring, 1991).

Management - A captive breeding programme and trials to establish new colonies are underway as part of an English Nature recovery programme. The Gloucestershire colony is restricted to a fraction of the available Berberis and a programme to rear and translocate stock to other parts of the site should be implemented.

Actions and Targets

Action	BC’s Targets	Possible Partners
1. Survey to try to locate any undiscovered colonies	By 2002	Local volunteers, land owners
2. Continue to provide feedback to the land owners or managers of any sites where this species is found so that they can be maintained in the long term.	Ongoing	Wildlife Trusts, EN, County Councils

Pauper Pug - Eupithecia egenaria

Distribution and Status - Only known to still exist in five small areas of the country. One of these is the Wye valley in Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire where it is well established. (RDB 3 - Rare)

Threats - Diseases of lime trees, or tree felling as larvae feed on lime trees (Tilia species).

Management - Mature stands of flowering Lime trees need to be maintained in all areas where this very local moth has been recorded with new generations of trees replacing older ones. Recent thinning of various stands of limes in the Wye Valley have been a cause for concern but the moth has survived them.

Action and Targets

Action	BC’s Targets	Possible Partners
1. Ensure that the Wye Valley population continues to be visited.	Ongoing	Local volunteers, EN, site owners.
2. Survey to assess current status eslewhere. Mature avenues of limes should be searched as well as those in ancient woodlands	By 2005	EN, other grant awarding bodies, local volunteers.
3. Provide feedback to landowners and site managers wherever this species is found and help them maintain the habitat for this species.	By 2010	EN, County Councils, site owners, site managers,

Northern Footman - Eilema sericea

Distribution and Status - This moth is endemic to Britain, though whether it is a separate species or a special race of E. complana has long been debated. Only known locality for this species is Whixall Moss (Shropshire) although there are also several singleton records elsewhere in Shropshire. (RDB 3 - Rare)

Threats - Reclamation and the drying out of sites where it may still exist

- Possibility of Whixall Moss becoming too wet.

Survey - Craig Yates and Ian Wallace (Liverpool Museum) both regularly visit Whixall Moss to look for this species.

Actions and Targets

Action	BC’s Targets	Possible Partners
1. Survey to assess current status on Whixall Moss and other nearby sites.	By 2002	Local volunteers, EN.
2. Support ecological research aimed at measures that may assist the long term conservation of the species	By 2005	EN

Orange Upperwing - Jodia croceago

Distribution and Status - No colonies currently known although there are post-1980 reports of this moth from 6 counties which represent the corners of the historical range and include Shropshire where a record is mentioned by Riley (1991) but is unconfirmed. (RDB 1 - Endangered)

Threats - Lack of extensive oak coppice may be a major threat as larvae feed on Oak Quercus spp. Decline in Britain may be part of more widespread decline in Europe for which the causes are unknown.

Actions and Targets

Action	BC’s Targets	Possible Partners
1. Increase awareness among recorders about the potential presence of this species which may yet still be resident in Britain	Ongoing	Local volunteers, invertebrate survey teams
2. Encourage moth recorders to visit suitable habitats at appropriate times of year (adults fly September to April)	By 2002	Local volunteers

White-spotted Pinion - Cosmia diffinis

Distribution and Status - Until the 1970s this species was widespread and well represented in central and southern England and parts of Wales. There are now only scarce reports of this species sparsely scattered throughout its former range with no recent records from this region. (Notable A)

Threats - Dutch Elm disease (as English Elm and Wych Elm are the larval foodplant)

Survey - Moth was widespread in Warwickshire in 1975 but by 1977 Elms were dying on a large scale and the moth was no longer found (D.Brown pers. comm. to P.Waring).

Actions & Targets

Action	BC’s Targets	Possible Partners
1.Carry out survey work to determine if this species is present giving priority to historical sites.	By 2002	Local volunteers
2. Protect and conserve stands of English Elm and Wych Elm on any sites where it is found	Where applicable	Land owners, site managers Wildlife Trusts, County Councils