Wormwood Moonshiner Project

Having not been seen in the UK since 1942, the endangered Wormwood Moonshiner was rediscovered in 1993 at Wangford in West Suffolk. Recent records suggested that the species was restricted to a handful of sites across Breckland, and some of these populations were since thought to be lost. One site, that was considered a hotspot for the species, hasn’t supported the Wormwood Moonshiner for several years.

The species has highly specialised habitat requirements, preferring heathland or sand dune environments. It has long been closely associated with the Field Wormwood (Artemisia campestris) plant, itself Endangered and with a stronghold in the Brecks.

What did the project achieve? 

Over the course of the project, the Wormwood Moonshiner was recorded at five sites. Working with site managers and local volunteers, we established a long-term monitoring programme for the Wormwood Moonshiner, providing training on how to identify and survey the beetle.

Another key area of interest for this project was to better understand the use of Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) by the Wormwood Moonshiner. As a more common wildflower species in the surrounding landscape, Yarrow could provide an alternative food source and therefore help us to create a map of areas to survey for potentially overlooked populations and sites that could support the Wormwood Moonshiner in the future. But while the species was observed on four different plant species, our surveys have found it does have a strong preference for Breckland Wormwood, appearing on this plant more than any others.

Can I still support the project? 

While this project has come to an end, we encourage you to submit any Wormwood Moonshiner sightings on the iRecord app.