Small Lappet

Never certainly recorded in the county, and now considered nationally extinct, but there is a historical association between this moth and Somerset, meriting this brief species account.&nbsp; Larvae thought to be of this species, but not reared, were reported from Lynton (Devon) in the 19th century, and from Hawksnest Wood, near Porlock, in 1938.&nbsp; A record from Weston-super-Mare in 1965 is thought not to relate to a wild-caught specimen.&nbsp; Although it is unlikely that the species ever occurred in Somerset, Exmoor does still support extensive, poorly-recorded areas containing an abundance of known foodplants of this species (sallow, bilberry, heathers) to suggest that it may just be possible that Small Lappet still exists in the county.

<u class="cdx-underline">Further reading</u>:

Leverton, R. 2016. Small Lappet Phyllodesma ilicifolia records from Devon and Somerset&nbsp;- a reappraisal. Atropos 57, 54–55.

Fox Moth

A declining moth of unimproved grassland.&nbsp; Still reasonably frequent on Exmoor and the Quantocks,&nbsp; to a lesser extent on the Mendips, the Blackdowns, the limestone grasslands around Bath, and around Shapwick and Westhay.&nbsp; Occasionally recorded from elsewhere.

The Drinker

Widespread across the county and frequently recorded at light, if rarely in any numbers; perhaps at their most abundant in reedbeds and areas of extensive unimproved grassland.&nbsp; The larvae are also regularly found in spring when they are conspicuous as they seek out sites to pupate.

The Drinker

Euthrix potatoria