Barred Tooth-striped Trichopteryx polycommata in and .

Barred Tooth-striped is very local and scattered in the UK being found in the southern half of , Cumbria and parts of western Scotland. Recently, since 2000, it has been recorded from  Kent and Sussex (several sites, mostly along the coast),  5 or 6 sites in Hampshire,  1 site in Isle of Wight,  2 sites in Dorset,  1 site in Essex,  1 site in Somerset,  1 site in Gloucester,  several sites in south Cumbria and nearby Yorkshire  1 site in Dumfries and Galloway  A few sites on the Isle of Mull and a few sites on the nearby mainland of Argyll  A few sites in north central Inverness-shire  1 site in eastern Perthshire.

Where is Barred Tooth-striped now in Hants and Isle of Wight? Historically Barred Tooth-striped has been recorded regularly from 4 main areas of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight –  Martin Downs area in west Hampshire (1981 to 2004)  Broughton Downs area (mid way between Salisbury and ) (1981 to 2000)  Leckford Estate (a little north of Stockbridge) (1940 to 2011)  Between Farley Mount/Beacon Hill and (just west of Winchester) (1972 to 1984)

However over the past 25 years (since 1989) it has been found regularly from 3 areas – Broughton Down (but not very recently), Leckford Estate and Martin Down (but not very recently).

All tetrads with records since 1989 are as follows -  NW Hampshire – between Salisbury, Andover and Winchester o SU 29,32 – Broughton Down area. 5 records. Seen in 1996, 1st April 1999, 22nd March 2000 (2), 1st April 2000 (2), 1 larva beaten from Privet on 16th May 2000. o SU 21,44 – Cholderton. 1 record. 1 seen by torchlight on 1st May 1994. o SU 32,37 – . 1 record. 1 larva beaten from Privet on Danebury Hill on 24th April 2003. The privet has largely been removed since! o SU 36,36 and SU 37,36 – Leckford Estate. 5 records. 5th April 2007, 6th April 2010, 9th April 2010 (2), 24th March 2011 (6 to 2 actinics) and 14th April 2011. o SU 40,44 – Harewood Forest  NE Hampshire – between Winchester, Farnham and Basingstoke o SU 73,49 – Odiham. 1 record. 1 to MV light on 12th April 2003.  South West Hampshire o SU 05,18 – Martin Downs. 2 records. 1 larva beaten from Privet on 23rd April 2003 and 2 seen by torchlight on 29th March 2004. o SU 03,20 – Martin Down, Kitts Grave. 1 record. 1 larva beaten from Privet on 24th May 2004.  South o SZ 74,98 – Hayling Island. 1 record. 1 at MV light at Sandy Point on 19th April 2010. This is a well recorded site and this is the only record, so it is likely to be a wanderer.  Isle of Wight o SZ 48,79 – Chale Green, just north of St. Catherine’s. 1 record of 1 to MV light on 3rd April 1993.

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o SZ 32,86 – a rural garden immediately north of Tennyson Downs. 1 record of 1 on 2nd April 2005.

Where could it be/where was it previously? Barred Tooth-striped could (potentially) persist almost anywhere with a good amount of Wild Privet, especially on the chalk. It is likely to do best at sites where the Privet is not cut often and where there is a variety of bush sizes and a good amount of young growth and some small bushes. As well as areas on the chalk downs on the mainland, it could well be present on the chalk inland or on the coast on the Isle of Wight. In addition to the recent records listed above, there are also records from the following locations –  NW Hampshire – between Salisbury, Andover and Winchester o SU 28,32 – Tetrad just west of Broughton Down. Record from 1981. o SU 29,46 – Tetrad just north of East Cholderton, to the west of Andover. Record from 1951 o SU 36,38 – Part of Leckford Estate. Records from 1951 and 1972. o SU 37,38 – Part of Leckford Estate. Record from 1940 and 1972. o SU 37,34 – . Records from 1972 and 1981. o SU 37,35 – Tetrad containing north part of Stockbridge Down. Record from 1981. o SU 39,43 – Tetrad containing part of Harewood Forest. Record from 1800. o SU 40,29 – Tetrad containing Beacon Hill. Record from 1981. o SU 41,29 – Farley Mount/Beacon Hill area. Several records from 1978, 1979, and 1984. o SU 42,29 – West Wood, Sparsholt. Several records from 1976, 1977 and 1981. o SU 43,29 – Crab Wood. Records from 1951, 1972 and 1980.

 NE Hampshire – between Winchester, Petersfield, Farnham and Basingstoke o SU 51,32 – 1km square between Winchester and Itchen Abbas. Record from 1951. o SU 51,42 – 1km square containing Station. Record from 1951. o SU 58,35 – 1km square just south of Abbotstone Down. Record from 1951. o SU 58,36 – 1km square just west of Abbotstone Down. Record from 1965. o SU 79,34 – 1km square containing south part of Borden town. Record from 1951.

 South West Hampshire o SU 04,19 – Tetrad of central part of Martin Downs. Record from 1981.

Where to look. Any negative searches are highlighted in green. Barred Tooth-striped tends to inhabit well established Privet scrub on chalk grassland or in open woodland. Optimum localities seem to be scarce. Looking anywhere on the chalk in Hampshire or the Isle of Wight could turn up trumps. Any areas of chalk grassland where a bit of Privet scrub has been left in small tucked away corners of fields, on open chalk downland, on coastal chalk cliff edges or along woodland edges could hold a Barred Tooth-striped colony. It would even be worth looking at Privet in old hedges or along old trackways on the downs. In Sussex I have found individuals near Privet on waste ground near the centre of Seaford town.

Good places to look would be as follows –

NW Hampshire – between Salisbury, Andover and Winchester

1. Broughton Down area SU 29,32 – is it still here? Latest record is 2000. There is a public right of way and much of the site is owned/managed by Hampshire Wildlife Trust. 2. Cholderton SU 21,44 – is it established here? There is a public footpath at SU 216,449 that goes through some chalk scrub. This ought to be checked. This area is within MoD danger area, so take necessary precautions. Any Privet along footpaths in this area could be checked. 3. East Cholderton SU 29,46 – is there Privet scrub around here that could hold the moth? It would be worth searching along Public Footpaths in the local area. 2

4. Danebury Hill SU 32,37 – is it still established here? This is a Hants County Council site. Contact the rangers on 01962 860948 for info about visiting. 5. Leckford Estate SU 36,36, SU 37,36, SU 36,38 and SU 37,38 – how widely established is it on the Estate? This is a private site and landowner permission must be sought. 6. Stockbridge Down SU 37,34 and SU 37,35 – is it here, there is an old record from 1972 and 1981. It is open to the public. 7. Harewood Forest SU 40,44 – this is a private site. 8. Farley Mount/Beacon Hill SU 40,29 and SU 41,29 – There are old records of the moth but the privet on which it was known to occur was removed many years ago. Has anyone looked for it lately? This is a Hants County Council site. Contact the rangers on 01962 860948 for info about visiting. 9. West Wood, Sparsholt SU 42,29 – is it here? There are old records from 1976, 1977 and 1981. 10. Crab Wood SU 43,29 – is it here? There are old records 1951, 1972 and 1980.

Central Hampshire – around Winchester

1. SU 51,42 – It would be worth checking any areas of Privet in, and around, this 1km square as there is an old record from here. The whole area looks arable, but Black Wood is just east and may have clearings with Privet in. It is open to the public and has some holiday chalets from Forest Holidays in it. 2. Abbotstone Down/Forest SU 58,35 and SU 58,36 – It would be worth checking any areas of Privet in, and around, these two 1km squares just north of as there are 2 old records from here. Much is arable and woodland. There are some public footpaths and a cycle trail, so some access.

SW Hampshire

1. Martin Downs SU 05,18 and SU 05,17 – is it well established here and is it still here? This is the south end of the site accessed from the car park at the end of Sillen Lane. 2. Martin Down, Kits Grave SU 03,20 – is it well established here and is it still here? This is the north end of the site on the north side of the A354. 3. Martin Down SU 04,19 – is it still here, there is an old record from 1981. This is the part to south of A354.

Isle of Wight – clockwise from the south end.

Are there stands of Privet at the following sites? Could Barred Tooth-striped be there? Any areas of Privet by the coast on Isle of Wight would be well worth searching as it has recently been found in some numbers on the coast of Sussex.

1. St. Catherine’s Hill and Down SZ 49,77 and SZ 49,78 – there is a record nearby from 1993. 2. St. Catherine’s Point SZ 49,75 3. Limerstone Down SZ 43,83 4. Compton Down SZ 35,85 to SZ 38,85 5. Tennyson Down SZ 31,85 to SZ 33,85 – there is a record nearby from 2005. 6. The Needles SZ 29,84 and SZ 30,84 7. Bembridge Down SZ 62,85 and SZ 62,86 8. Culver SZ 63,85 9. Any other chalk downs with Privet scrub inland????

It may also be worth checking out the sites of these old records. 1. Easton, just east of Winchester SU 51,32 – It might be worth checking any areas of Privet in, and around, this 1km square between Winchester and Itchen Abbas as there is an old record from here. The habitat does not look right with a river valley, but there could be some Privet in some areas.

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2. Borden town, a little south east of Alton SU 79,34 – It might be worth checking any areas of Privet in, and around, this 1km square containing south part of Borden town as there is an old record from here. Much of this is urban, but is just to the south. It might be worth seeing if there is any Privet in there and checking that.

Always obtain the land owners permission to search areas away from public rights of way.

When to look. The adults fly between mid March and mid April. However, in cooler years they may be a little late and may be on the wing from early April to early May.

How to look. An excellent way to find the adults is by searching Privet bushes just after dusk and you can see the adults sitting on the tips of branches shimmering in your torch light. I have found it more often on young growth of Privet, especially if it has been cut in the past couple of years.

I hope this will encourage you to go out and have a wander with a torch – you never know you may come across a hitherto unknown colony of Barred Tooth-striped.

Simon Curson

Post-script

Advice to Land Mangers Whilst Privet is widespread on chalk downland, its widespread clearance and removal that goes on at many sites is very bad for wildlife! Remember it is a very important nectar source and foodplant for many insects. A wide age-range of plants should be maintained at all sites. Barred Tooth-striped use the larger more mature bushes for breeding.

Tim Norriss

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