White-spotted Pinion Cosmia diffinis
The White-spotted Pinion (Cosmia diffinis) is a scarce noctuid moth closely associated with elms (Ulmus spp.), particularly English Elm, its larvae feeding on elm foliage in hedgerows and woodland edges. The spread of Dutch elm disease from the 1970s onwards devastated elm populations across Britain and caused severe declines in this and other elm-dependent species. Suffolk – where English Elm persists more widely in hedgerows than in most other English counties – retains some of the most important populations of this moth in Britain. The county’s elm-rich hedgerow landscapes are therefore of national significance for this species, and the persistence of mature elms is directly tied to its survival. Image: © Will George, 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.
