Local on moorland, in Scotland including the Hebrides and Orkney, northern England including the Isle of Man, on Dartmoor, Exmoor and the New Forest, and through much of Wales, elsewhere extremely local and usually uncommon; a species of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In Hampshire more or less confined to the New Forest, and there very local, favouring dry railway banks and other places where the common grass is Wavy Hair-grass. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight since 1994. Wingspan 29-36 mm. Larva feeds on Wavy Hair-grass and Tufted Hair-grass.