Morris’s Wainscot and other east coast moths and butterflies

This stretch of coast supports an important group of rare moths and butterflies. The locations mentioned below refer to Britain only. Devon Species of Conservation Concern include:

  • Gold-edged Dot (Stigmella auromarginella). Only found along the coasts of Dorset and east Devon. Caterpillars feed by mining the leaves of brambles.
  • Dingy White Plume (Merrifieldia baliodactylus). Caterpillars feed on Wild Marjoram in spring, biting through the stem and causing the upper leaves to wilt.
  • Colt’s-foot Miner (Scrobipalpula tussilaginis). Also found on the Dorset coast and one site in Hampshire. Caterpillars feed by mining the leaves of Colt’s-foot, often turning these purplish. The mines are conspicuous so easily recorded.
  • Goat Moth (Cossus cossus). Caterpillars feed on living wood, living inside the trunks or branches of various species of tree. On the east Devon coast they have been found in Grey Willow. This stretch of coast is probably a refuge to where this previously more widespread species has retreated.   
  • Mere Wainscot (Photedes fluxa). Feeds on Wood Small-reed and in Devon is now mainly found along this stretch of coast and near Croyde on the north coast.
  • Wight Pea Moth (Grapholita gemmiferana): Similar distribution and foodplant to the Everlasting-pea Blister Moth. See below.
  • Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages). Caterpillars feed on Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil.       
  • Small Blue (Cupido minimus). Caterpillars feed on Kidney Vetch. Very locally situated in Devon, main sites are East Devon coast, Torbay coast and Braunton Burrows. East Devon sites tend to be managed naturally by occasional cliff fall and erosion creating the required breeding conditions.
  • Adonis Blue (Polyommatus bellargus). Caterpillars feed on Horseshoe Vetch.        

Six species in this group are listed as Devon Special Species in their own right:

Morris's waisncot moth (white-grey coloured) on a bed of straw

Morris’s Wainscot (moth)

Photedes morrisii

In the UK, Morris’s Wainscot is only found on this stretch of coast, between Axmouth and Eype in Dorset. It lives at the base of slipping cliffs, where the caterpillar’s foodplant Tall Fescue grows. Larvae are found in the stems of smaller, weak plants which are stressed by growing on the slipping cliff.   

A striking brown and white patterned adult moth rests on a pale stone. The moth is fairly large with a rectangular outline that ends with a small head at the top of the photo and two round wing ends at the bottom. The moths base colour is a dark brown with mirrored mottled white and black patterns on each wing. There are two long, thin antennae at either side of the head.

White Spot (moth)

Hadena albimacula

White Spot caterpillars feed on the seeds of Nottingham Catchfly, which is also a Devon Special Species. They initially live in the seed capsule, then hide under the base of the plant by day and feed on the seeds at night.  

The moths fly in May and June. White Spots are found on vegetated shingle and chalk or limestone cliffs from Branscombe to Kent where Nottingham Catchfly grows. In Devon, they’re found between Branscombe and Axmouth. 

Sandy coloured devonshire wainscot moth with dark brown/black streaks

Devonshire Wainscot (moth)

Leucania putrescens

The Devonshire Wainscot is only found on the coasts of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, south Wales and Pembrokeshire. It’s rare in Devon but can be seen along both the north and south coasts.  

Adults fly from mid-July to early September. Eggs are laid on various grasses which caterpillars feed on through the winter.  

Small white moth with an orange stripe on a green leaf.

Everlasting-pea Blister Moth

Leucoptera lathyrifoliella

This micromoth is only found on the coast between Shaldon and Branscombe and a few other locations including the Isle of Wight and one in Wales. Caterpillars feed on the Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea, but also can also occur on Meadow Vetchling and Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea when near Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea. The Wight Pea Moth (Grapholita gemmiferana) has a very similar distribution and now does not occur further west than Salcombe Mouth, near Sidmouth. It has the same main foodplant.

Delicate white butterfly on a blade of grass

Wood White (butterfly)

Leptidea sinapis

The Wood White is one of the UK’s lightest and smallest butterfly species. It has a unique, almost ghostly appearance due to its pale, white wings.  

It lives in habitats with tall grassland or light shrub (which provide shade and shelter) and with vetches (the caterpillar foodplant), including Bitter Vetch, Tufted Vetch, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil and Greater Bird’s-foot-trefoil.   

It breeds twice a year with adults flying in May or June and August. In Devon, the remaining populations are found on this stretch of coast (due to the scrubby grasslands), Meeth quarry in north Devon and Cookworthy Forest.