The Lappet

Like many moths that feed on thorn trees, it has always been commonest east of Exmoor and south of the Mendips.&nbsp; In common with national trends, the moth is declining and most records now are from the south of the county between Taunton and Yeovil.

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.

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.