Sussex Moth Group: Chesias legatella

Chesias legatella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Streak
70.1950 (B&F: 1864)

Synonym(s):
Chesias spartiata (Herbst, 1782)

»Suborder: Glossata
  »Superfamily: Geometroidea
    »Family: Geometridae
      »Subfamily: Larentiinae
        »Tribe: Chesiadini

Number of records: 59
Recorded in: 30 1km grid squares
Date of most recent record: 03 xi 2024

Identification
difficulty

: 1Species that can be relatively easily identified even by inexperienced recorders with the use of up-to-date field guides. Such records would be accepted without the need for additional evidence as long as they conform to the normal flight period and geographical range of the species.

Normally seen singly or sparingly at mv light, this moth is present in a wide range of habitats and is often fairly common to common at rest at night on its foodplant. It has a widespread distribution in the north and far east of the county, but it is extremely local in numbers and colonies elsewhere are scarce and the species is considered to be in full retreat from the south west of the county. It is a single-brooded species, with adults flying mainly from the second week of October until early November. Larvae feed on wild and introduced Broom. (Pratt, 2011)

Bexhill East Sussex, 25 x 2010
Photo: Keith Alexander

Battle, 3 xi 2024
Photo: David Gardiner

Distribution at 1km scale

Distribution at 1km scale

Phenology (adult)

No larval records