Vapourer Moth       White Ermine
72.019 BF2061  –  Erebidae –  Arctiinae – Spilosoma lutea – Buff Ermine Adult Macro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others –       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread   
Taxonomy:   Macro  >> .  . >>  Erebidae  >> Arctiinae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: Quiet a distinctive species with very broad creamy-buff coloured fore-wings with a slightly paler hind-wing. The row of black spots and speckles that run diagonally from forewing tip to trailing edge are diagnostic. There is also a white form and a very rare form with mainly black wings.
Distribution:  A resident species in Derbyshire that is widely distributed and common in all areas. Largest population densities are found in the Trent Valley and the Coal Measures. Noticeably more abundant in urban areas than rural.
Flight Period: May /  June /  July /  August /  –  On the wing May – August. Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 6 May 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 28-40mm
Forewing: 17-22mm Food Plant: Herbaceous plants, bushes and trees.
Recorded dates for Common [Blue code Blue-coded] moths are not stored on the website at this current time.
IMAGES BELOW:  Melbourne, South Derbyshire – Tony Davison ©

Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine – Erebidae – Spilosoma lutea – Buff and White comparison
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Buff Ermine – Erebidae – Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
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Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine – Erebidae – Spilosoma lutea – female
Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine – Erebidae – Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
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Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea
Buff Ermine - Erebidae - Spilosoma lutea

2061-buff-ermine2 Buff Ermine - Melbourne - Tony Davison©
2061-buff-ermine Buff Ermine - Melbourne - Tony Davison©
2060-61-white-and-buff-ermine White and Buff Ermine - Melbourne - Tony Davison©

Distribution Map for Spilosoma lutea

derbyshiremoths.org © makes no guarantee of accuracy of data used in these maps and charts – they are presented to you with best endeavours and the data behind them updated periodically as time permits. Historic records are being discovered all the time. These will be assessed, so once they are all verified, they will be incorporated onto the map and charts.

Found 3299 records
    ↳ 197 from After 2025
    ↳ 666 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 2436 from Before 2020

If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.

******* Choose ONLY one at a time, of either Monad, Tetrad or Hectad Distribution - each has it's own set of data. Also, the distribution maps cover ALL recorded data. *******

Bedrock Geology ** indirectly affects moth distribution by influencing the type of habitat and food plants available in an area. In turn, this may affect the types of moths that can thrive, or where they can most likely be found.


Monthly Records By Year: Spilosoma lutea

Monthly Counts By Year: Spilosoma lutea

Recordings By Year: Spilosoma lutea

Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Spilosoma lutea
AGR: 0.07%   |   Total % Change: 1.8%
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2024

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Spilosoma lutea

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Spilosoma lutea

Flight Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's flight periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen in flight, from site observation records received between 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Spilosoma lutea – 3299 records available

Listed by Year - descending

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStage
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202501/07/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202502/07/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202503/07/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202506/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaCote Heath Allotments, Buxton SK07R202514/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202520/06/202522adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202513/06/20257adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202530/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaCote Heath Allotments, Buxton SK07R202521/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202524/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaBamford, Hope Valley S33 0BE, UKSK28B202501/06/20251
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202508/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202506/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202521/06/202510adult
Spilosoma luteaFindern, DerbyshireSK33A202509/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202514/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34U202521/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202510/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaDrakelow, Derbys.SK22F202510/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202518/06/202515adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202523/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaStaveley garden S433YASK47H202528/06/20256adult
Spilosoma luteaHome SK23K202502/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteamy gardenSK36U202512/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202519/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202519/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34N202503/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaMidway, Derbys.SK32A202512/06/20257adult
Spilosoma luteaOwler Bar, Sheffield S17 3BQ, UKSK27U202520/06/20251
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202511/06/20257adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202524/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202526/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaCote Heath Allotments, Buxton SK07R202506/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaFroggatt, Hope ValleySK27N202514/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteasheffieldSK38M202514/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202514/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaInkersall gardenSK47G202509/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaOld Marble Mill, Ashford in the Water SK16Z202517/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202520/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202525/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteasheffieldSK38M202501/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34N202517/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202513/06/20258adult
Spilosoma luteaChaddesden GardenSK33T202511/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteasheffieldSK38M202505/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202515/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202519/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202525/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaFroggattSK27N202501/06/202510adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202510/06/202523adult
Spilosoma luteaFindern, DerbyshireSK33A202518/06/202513adult
Spilosoma luteaCote Heath Allotments, Buxton SK07R202528/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202502/06/20258adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202512/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202519/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202502/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202503/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaShirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z202506/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34N202519/06/20256adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202512/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202513/06/20256adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34U202520/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202512/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202528/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202506/06/202511adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202514/06/202517adult
Spilosoma luteasheffieldSK38M202515/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaChaddesden GardenSK33T202521/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202503/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202510/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202521/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34N202525/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteasheffieldSK38M202502/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202517/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202515/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202515/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteasheffieldSK38M202507/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202517/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaStretton Handley School - Beresford LnSK36Q202519/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaAston-on-Trent, DerbyshireSK43A202529/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaAston-on-Trent, DerbyshireSK43A202512/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaMidway, Derbys.SK32A202516/06/20254adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34U202528/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaFindern, DerbyshireSK33A202501/06/20257not recorded
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34N202511/06/202511adult
Spilosoma luteaInkersall gardenSK47G202521/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202506/06/20256adult
Spilosoma luteaAllestree, DerbySK33P202521/06/20252adult
Spilosoma luteaFindern, DerbyshireSK33A202504/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202505/06/20258adult
Spilosoma luteaAston-on-Trent, DerbyshireSK43A202515/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaupper cromford gardenSK25Y202519/06/202512adult
Spilosoma luteaMidway, Derbys.SK32A202523/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202523/06/20253adult
Spilosoma luteaFindern, DerbyshireSK33A202506/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaBelperSK34U202514/06/20256adult
Spilosoma luteaChaddesden GardenSK33T202519/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMellorSJ98Z202506/06/20255adult
Spilosoma luteaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202504/06/20251adult
Spilosoma luteaMidway, Derbys.SK32A202519/06/20256adult

Sensible limit reached – too many records to list on the page

Vapourer Moth       White Ermine

Copyright Tony Davison © 2025 www.derbyshiremoths.org

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