Davey, P., 2009: A local species confined to southern England, the larva feeding on oak (Quercus spp.) or beech (Fagus sylvatica). In Dorset, the moth is locally common and found in oak and beech woods in the eastern half of the county, being most often seen in mature oak woodland and on the stunted oaks growing on sandy soils, but less so on chalky soils. However, the species seems to be responding positively to the warming trend with increasing numbers across an increasing range. For example, Piddles Wood near Sturminster Newton in north Dorset lies many miles distant from the moths original county headquarters, but now hosts a strong colony. An instance of potential dispersal occurred on 2 July 1999 when eleven adults were trapped at Gaunt's Common (P Davey), a locality several miles from suitable habitat and where one other Festoon had been observed in eight years of recording. Examples of day-time activity include "a freshly emerged female with twenty-five males assembled to her in as many minutes in the morning in garden at Haymoor Bottom" (W Parkinson Curtis), and a female on an oak bough with five males assembled to her in the middle of the afternoon at Purewell Meadows on 5 July 2003 (P Davey).

Recorded in 22 (55%) of 40 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1940.
Last Recorded in 2019.
(Data up to end 2019)