DOCASTER MUSEUM ENTOMOLOGICAL SURVEY OF BRODSWORTH PARK
Notes on the Rest-Harrow Plume Moth (Marasmarcha lunaedactyla Haw.)
at Brodsworth Park, with reference to it status in the Yorkshire region.
C. A. HOWES – Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery DN1 2AE
Introduction
The Rest-harrow Plume Moth (Marasmarcha lunaedactyla) is a members of the elegant and diaphanous lepidopteran family Pterophoridae. Illustrated in Beirne (1952), the adult females are a yellowish-brown with pale wing markings while the males are a reddish brown with more distinct markings, their larvae are green or whitish-green with black dots, a dark dorsal line and black-marked head (Bein 1952).
In the 1950’s M. lunaedactyla was judged to be locally common on the Common Rest-harrow (Ononis repens L.) and its scarcer relative the Spiny Rest-harrow (O. spinosa L.). Its distribution was largely concentrated in southern and midland counties of Britain, particularly on sandy coasts and chalk soils in English and Welsh counties south of a line from north Wales to the Wash (Beirne 1952).
Seasonality
Eggs are laid in July on the undersides of leaves of O. repens and O. spinosa (Ford 1949, Beirn 1952).
From May to June the larvae may be found feeding exposed on the young leaves and on the tops of shoots of its food plant, sometimes biting through the shoot stalks (Ford 1949, Beirn 1952).
From June to July they pupate on the leaf surface and occasionally on the stems (Ford 1949, Beirne 1952).
Their flight period is primarily confined to July into August when they indulge in their characteristic dancing flight around the food plants at dusk. By day this long-legged crepuscular species characteristically hangs on its food plant but is easily disturbed in warm weather.
The Brodsworth Colony
On 12th June 1992 while sweep-netting the low herbage of the wildflower ‘hay meadow’ lawn situated to the north of the croquet lawn, an un-mown shrubby plant of Rest-harrow (O. repens) was located. Some of its leaves exhibited the results of caterpillar browsing, and small green larvae were noted, indicating the possibility of a colony of M. lunaedactyla.
At dusk on the evening of June 25th 1992, during a visit by members of the Friends of Doncaster Museum, the Rest-harrow clump was again inspected, its trefoil foliage showing frequent signs of earlier larval feeding, indicating this plant to be significant as the focus of a local breeding population.
On 15th July 1992 a special search was made for plants of Ononis in the un-mown ‘hay-meadow’ and whereas several were located, only one showed any significant vertical growth, this being the one which exhibited larval feeding evidence. At dusk that evening the presence of the Rest-harrow plume moth was confirmed when a small population of perhaps six specimens was observed on the wing around this food plant.
Yorkshire Records
Sutton and Beaumont (1989) described the species as being ‘recorded thinly in vice-counties 61 to 63 (South, East and West Yorkshire) but is locally common where there is a good growth of rest-harrow.)
An examination of information held at Doncaster Museum and by the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union lepidoptera re order (Mr. H. E. Beaumont), has proved evidence that this plume moth has only ever been recorded at 8 Yorkshire (north of England) localities this century. The dates of these records range from 1903 to 1992, with an earlier 19th century record being discounted (see Appendix). The status comment in Sutton and Beaumont (1998) would therefore seem to be somewhat optimistic.
The flight period in Yorkshire is largely restricted to early and mid July (9th to 7th) with the most northerly site (Scarborough) producing a very late date of 12th August.
Scarcity of Suitable Habitat and Food Plants
Although the common Rest-harrow (O. repens L.), a low growing, rhizomatous, downy woody perennial member of the Pea family (Fabaceae), is scattered across most regions of Yorkshire, its distribution is largely focused on grassland habitats on the calcareous soils of the Southern Magnesian Limestone ridge and the Chalk Wolds of the East Riding. However, even within these favourable areas, intensive arable agriculture and the unsympathetic management of roadside verges has severely restricted the availability of calcareous grassland and thus of this obligated food-plant.
Conservation and Management
The Rest-harrow Plume Moth in Yorkshire is at the northern extremity of its British distribution and at Brodsworth Park it represents one of only nine sites known this century within ‘Watsonian’ Yorkshire.
Since the moth, be it in egg, larval, pupal or adult form, is associated with its Rest-harrow food plants throughout all seasons, it is likely that mowing, particularly summer mowing (May to July) may be partly responsible for its scarcity and vulnerability of this plume-moth.
There is a requirement to manage the food plant on site by the following methods :-
(a) Leaving at least some of the Rest-harrow (Ononis repens) plants uncut on the Brodsworth hay-meadow lawns each year. each year. (identify the plants and mow round them).
(b) With a view to encouraging the spread of the plume moth and therefore reducing its vulnerability on site, I would suggest that plants of Ononis repens are established in sunny uncut grassland locations were management impact will be minimal. Since the plume moth is a weak flyer, it probably only has a very limited range. It may be necessary therefore to spread the Brodsworth population by hand transfer of larvae during their May to June feeding season.
Acknowledgements
I must thank Mr. Harry Beaumont, YNU Lepidoptera recorder for confirmation of the records and of commenting on an early draft of this note. Thanks are also due to The Dutchy of Lancaster for access to Tickhill Castle and to English Heritage for access to Brodsworth Hall.
References
Beirne, B. P. (1952). British Pyralid and Plume Moths. Warne, London.
Ford, L. T. (1949). A Guide to the smaller British lepidoptera. South London Entomological and Natural History Society.
Gielis, (1996) Microlepidoptera of Europe, Vol. 1, Pterophoridae. Apollo Books, Stenstrup.
Hobkirk, C. P. (1859 and 1868) Huddersfield, its history and natural history. Ward Lock, London.
Jackson, S. M. (1963) Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union Annual Report for 1962: Lepidoptera. Naturalist, 88 13-15.
Mansbridge, W. (1913). Pterophorus phaeodactylus Hub. in Yorkshire. Naturalist, 38:20
Sutton, S. L. and Beaumont, H. E. (1989). Butterflies and Moths of Yorkshire: Distribution and conservation. Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, Doncaster.
Porritt, G. T. (1883). List of Yorkshire Lepidoptera. Entomological Transactions of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union Vol. 2 p. 175.
Porritt, G. T. (1904). Supplement to the List of Yorkshire Lepidoptera. Entomological Transactions of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union Vol. 2 p. 260.
Appendix
Yorkshire Records
VC 61
Sledmere 10.7.1902 (?03) ‘I found the species in plenty flying over an settling upon its food plant, Rest-harrow … I boxed about 20 specimens …. and might easily have take three or four times the number’ (Mansbridge 1913). There was either a typographical error or a lapse on Mansbridge’s part as the four extant specimens in his collection, now at Manchester museum, are dated 10.7.1903 (H. E. Beaumont pers comm.)
Fordon Bank (TA/0674) 16.7.1983 (P. O. Winter, YNU record)
Burdale (SE/86) 22.7.1994, det. H. E. B. (G. B. Summers).
Bridlington (TA/16) 20.7.1995, det. H. E. B. (A. S. Ezard).
Wharram Quarry (SE/8665) 19.7.1997) (N. Gill)
VC62
Scarborough (TA/08) 12.8.1962, det. S. Walkeley (Jackson 1963).
VC63
Huddersfield district (SE/11) Claimed in Hobkirk (1859) bur discounted by Porritt (1904).
Roman Ridge, Doncaster (SE/5306) 9.7.1974 Near Brodsworth Pit Yard (P. Skidmore).
Tickhill Castle, Doncaster (SK/5892) 14.7.1983; -. 7.1984; -. 7. 1985 On colony of Ononis repens on summit of mott (C. A. Howes det. P. Skidmore).
Piece’s Bank, Maltby Loew Common (SK/5491) 17.7.1983 (W. A. Ely) I believe other specimens have been taken subsequently (H. E. Beaumont pers. comm.).
Conisbrough North Cliffe (SK/5099) 15.7.1986 In numbers on Ononis repens (C. A. Howes & P. Skidmore).
Worsbrough Reservoir (SE/3403) 1990 (H. E. Beaumont).
Brodsworth Park (SE/5007) 15.7.1992 Up to six on the wing around Ononis clump in the un-mown ‘hay-meadow’ lawn.
VC64 No records
VC65 No records
Nottinghamshire No records
H. E. Beaumont (YNU Recorder) is not aware of any records of Yorkshire and it may be that this handful of records represent the extremity of its distribution in northern Britain.
Nomenclature
Pterophorus phaeodactylus Hubn.
Marasmarcha pallidactyla Wood nec. Haw.