35.015 Nothris verbascella (Hübner, 1813)
Mesophleps ochracella <<Nothris verbascella>> Nothris congressariella
Status and Distribution
Formerly found at two locations in Norfolk and one in Suffolk and, until 2024, the last British record was from West Norfolk in 1971. Searches from the late 1980s onwards, where the foodplant is still present, had failed to relocate the moth and it is was subsequently considered extinct in the British Isles. A record from Monk Haven, Pembrokeshire has not been possible to confirm and is thought to have been entered in error but the food-plant does occur in that county as an Adventive.
On 2nd September 2024, a single moth came to an MV light in Norfolk (D. Jones) and subsequent searches for larvae in the area have produced at least two sites with feeding signs on Hoary Mullein, possibly more. A further five adults were located amongst the plants at one site. The location is just to the south of Norwich and further searches in surrounding areas where the plant occurs would be most welcome. Please pass any such records, with supporting photos, onto Jim Wheeler, the County Moth Recorder for Norfolk.
National Status: Unknown
Bradley & Fletcher no: 838
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Photographer: © D Jones
Location: Norfolk
Provisional map
NHMSYS0000503405
Imago
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Larva
Photographs depict larvae on a Verbascum sp. in France.
Pupa
Foodplant and Larval Feeding Signs
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Verbascum pulverulentum (hoary mullein), see plant distribution map. In Europe reported from Verbascum densiflorum (dense-flowered mullein), V. phlomoides (orange mullein) and V. thapsus (great mullein).
Pre-1972 in Britain, the larvae could be found throughout the year, initially gregariously on undeveloped leaves in the centre of the plant. In the spring newly emerged larvae were found feeding on younger leaves or boring into stalks or stems, while the over-wintered larvae fed under the larger lower leaves in a silken web. The September 2024 records have, so far, been of obvious feeding signs, a few pupae, and adults resting on the foodplant - no larvae have yet been found.
Habitat
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Found on banks, in gravel-pits and quarries and on rough ground (the plants original 'natural' habitat is on coastal shingle).
Finding the Moth
Searches of sites where the foodplant still occurs in any abundance would be worthwhile at any time of year for the larvae or their feeding signs.
Similar Species
A distinctive pale buff moth with a single prominent black spot on the forewing at two-thirds. Not likely to be confused with any other species.
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
May, June, July, August, September
This species was possibly double-brooded before becoming extinct in Britain with adults emerging from May to September and with peaks in June and September. The September moths were reported to be smaller than those in June. However, there was insufficient data on adults observed in the wild with most records relating to bred specimens. With the rediscovery of the moth in Norfolk in September 2024, a reassessment of the species voltinism would be of interest by regular monitoring of the known sites.