Hantsmoths

Extinct in the British Isles, formerly known from hedgerows and rough pastures in parts of south-eastern England, including Surrey, Hampshire, Essex and Kent. The moth seems to have become extinct around the 1890s, a fate which befell other species at the turn of the century, possibly linked to the climatic changes which occurred at that time. List by Hervey in 'The Lepidoptera of Hampshire, Part V' published in 1895, but otherwise its presence in the county is unsubstantiated: the record shown here is included for completeness. Wingspan 15-17 mm. Similar to D. pimpinellae and D. chaerophylli which both have black markings on the forewing, absent in D. depressana, which has an ochreous-cream head, thorax and tegulae (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). Larva feeds on Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip, Burnet-saxifrage and Milk-parsley, living gregariously within spun or rolled flowers.