In 1952, one of England’s rarest moths was last recorded at a Northumberland estate

Conservationists restoring habitat at a historic estate in Northumberland have rediscovered a hidden population of one of England's rarest insects, finding the species just 10 minutes into a survey at a site where it had not been recorded for more than 70 years. Dr Dave Wainwright, a senior conservation scientist with Butterfly Conservation, found a breeding colony of the dark bordered beauty moth (Epione vespertaria) at the National Trust's Wallington Estate near Morpeth. The day-flying moth is known for its distinctive custard and chocolate-coloured wings. It was last recorded at Wallington in 1952 before disappearing from local records. As reported by ITV News in August 2026, the discovery could provide a vital boost for a species that was at serious risk of disappearing from England.Decades of searching end in minutesDr Wainwright had spent many years looking for unknown populations of the rare moth across northern England. He first surveyed Wallington Estate in 2004 but found no sign of the species. Looking back at that survey, Wainwright said the land was not suitable for the moth at the time. “I looked at that site in 2004 and it was quite heavily grazed and wasn't in the ri...