Fenn’s Wainscot Protarchanara brevilinea
Fenn’s Wainscot (Photedes brevilinea) is a nationally scarce noctuid moth associated with Wood Small-reed (Calamagrostis epigejos) and possibly other tall grasses of fen and reedbed margins. It has a restricted distribution in Britain, largely confined to East Anglia, and Suffolk is one of the most important counties for this species. The Waveney Valley and associated fen systems are particularly significant, and records from the county’s coastal and inland wetlands contribute to the national picture. Like many fen-specialist moths, it is vulnerable to habitat loss and inappropriate management of fen vegetation, and maintaining tall-grass fen habitats through sensitive management is key. Image: © Paul Kitchener, Flickr.
Find out more: iNaturalist, UK Moths, Suffolk Moths
Suffolk’s Priority Moth Species
Key
Listed as a conservation priority in Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
Closely associated with Suffolk’s landscape and natural identity.
Identified as a key priority for recovery under Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Has a Species of the Month article attached.
