Grey Carpet Lithostege griseata
The Grey Carpet (Lithostege griseata) is one of Britain’s rarest moths – a Breckland specialist almost entirely confined to Suffolk and Norfolk, where its larvae feed on Flixweed (Descurainia sophia) on open, disturbed sandy ground. It is a priority species for conservation and one of the most geographically restricted moths in Britain, with Suffolk holding a central place in its national survival. The species depends on the warm, open, sandy arable margins and disturbed ground characteristic of the Breckland landscape, and its fortunes are directly linked to the management and extent of suitable open habitat. Targeted monitoring at key Breckland sites underpins conservation management for this exceptional moth. Image: © Patrick Clement, 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.
