Toadflax Brocade in Banstead - a short history


It is not all that long ago that the Toadflax Brocade was considered anything but a very local species. First recorded in the UK in 1939 and as breeding in 1952, colonisation then started in earnest. In the mid-1980s, Skinner considered it 'Well established at Dungeness, Kent and found locally along the coast eastwards to Sandwich and westwards towards Angmering, West Sussex'. Even in the 1998 revision of his book he mentions only 11 other records away from this heartland. Graham Collins 'Larger Moths of Surrey' - published in 1997 - can only lay claim to a single Surrey record, from Bookham Common on 7 July 1970. By the turn of this century moths had started to appear further west along the south coast, and since then they have been recorded as far north as Yorkshire. Of more interest than these isolated wanderers has been the colonisation of London and the Home Counties. Which leads me on to Banstead...

It was in the back garden on 17 August 2009 that I came across a striking larva on Purple Toadflax. Even I was able to put a name to this beast, that of Toadflax Brocade. I had, at that point, not seen the adult moth in the garden, so was then on high alert to rectify the situation. If it had bred in the garden then I had certainly missed them! I didn't have too long to wait, as an adult came to the MV trap on 22 May 2010. In 2011-13 I didn't find any larvae although in each of these years one or two adults appeared at light. Last autumn the three clumps of Purple Toadflax in the garden were alive with the colourful caterpillars - 20 on one clump alone. And, for the past three consecutive nights I have recorded adults. They seem to have happily colonised this small part of Surrey.

The food plant of this species is, not surprisingly, Common, Purple and Pale Toadflax. The early colonists most probably had Common as the only plant of choice. Maybe the colonisation of London has been aided by the ubiquitous nature of Purple. It seeds easily and is a common plant of waste ground. This moth is double-brooded, flying in May-June and again in August. If you have yet to see it, check your nearest clump of Purple Toadflax for the larvae this summer - there will be some nearby!


Comments

Derek Faulkner said…
Interesting stuff Steve and at first glance the caterpillar put me in mind of a cabbage white one.
26 May 2015 at 05:25
Steve Gale said…
I'm not terribly good on larvae Derek. Can't get too enthusiastic about them...
27 May 2015 at 21:13
Wendy Bartter said…
Just come across your interesting article Steve as I am currently housing two of these very pretty Moths having emerged from pupal cocoons two days ago after I 'rescued' three from my rather large clumps of Purple Toadflax in the garden! Do you have any more this year?
17 July 2016 at 11:49
Wendy Bartter said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
17 July 2016 at 11:50
Steve Gale said…
Where about's are you Wendy? I'm assuming in the south-east? This species has undergone a fascinating range shift in recent years.
19 July 2016 at 11:14
Wendy Bartter said…
Sorry I missed your query last year Steve ... am in Minster in E Kent & just found another two today on Purple Toadflax which is encouraged in my semi- wildlife garden!
11 June 2017 at 13:27
Steve Gale said…
Great stuff Wendy!
12 June 2017 at 20:49
Wendy Bartter said…
Hi Steve, very pleased to report another two successful emergences from pupae wrapped in white paper kitchen roll ... seems very popular with many species, had success this year with Vapourer (complete life cycle), Least Dark Arches larva into overwintering pupa & Buff Ermine larva into overwintering cocoon!
6 July 2017 at 22:03
Steve Gale said…
Your pupal care puts me to shame Wendy - you are obviously skilled in it!
7 July 2017 at 15:29
Wendy Bartter said…
Not at all skilled Steve, just interested & lucky ... Had new Toadflax Brocade Moth emerge only yesterday & a couple of female Vapourer this last week with one successfully mated & produced a batch of eggs to overwinter plus a beautiful Ruby Tiger Moth which was a complete surprise as I had it marked down as overwintering Buff Ermine ... definitely no expert! Lol
13 November 2017 at 23:54
Wendy Bartter said…
After a couple of lean years I found one specimen on Purple toadflax few weeks ago, after 20 days pupation a perfect specimen of Brocade moth emerged last night!
30 July 2020 at 11:54
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