– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. ID pointers: The wings are grey brown and rounded at the tip. Very plainly marked but there is often a row of small black dots along the inner edge of the fringed outer wing. Male has feathered antennae.
Distribution: (Last record: 2021 ) – A resident that has become exceedingly rare and locally distributed in Derbyshire. Was a common species, especially in the south but now restricted to woodland containing Aspen (Populus tremula). Since 2007 there has been one record in 2019, and one record in 2021.
*** Last updated on 21 July 2025 by WS ***
Forewing: 15-17mm
Last Recorded Year: 2021
Last Recorded By – Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area – Not Recorded
IMAGES BELOW: Melbourne, Derbyshire – Tony Davison©
Lead-coloured Drab - Melbourne - Tony Davison©
Lead-coloured Drab - Melbourne - Tony Davison©
Distribution Map for Orthosia populeti
Found 28 records
↳ 0 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 27 from Before 2020
↳ 0 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 27 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.
Land-cover * shows the variety of land-cover within the VC57 area, based on the CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) forty-four thematic classes of land-cover. This will show, to a greater or lesser degree, the number and variety of moths found in different land-cover types. The UK continues to operate within the Copernicus programme, with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) providing Corine Land Cover (CLC) datasets for the UK and its territories.
NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Orthosia populeti
⚠️ Please wait for the map to load fully – do not click the link shown.
Note – the NBN Atlas datasets are listed in the map below and vary in their currency (uptodateness) – however,
the map does give a general indication of the moth's distribution across the UK.
Monthly Records By Year:
Orthosia populeti
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Orthosia populeti
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Orthosia populeti
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
Click the colour discs below to Select/De-select as Required
Recordings By Year: Orthosia populeti
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Orthosia populeti
AGR: -1.59% | Total % Change: -25%
CUSUM Analysis: Orthosia populeti
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 17 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.
Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 7 (July) to provide a full-year equivalent.
ⓘ
Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year)
Trough (worst year)
Growth periods
Decline periods
Population peaked around 2011, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2006, showing a significant decline.
What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Orthosia populeti
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Orthosia populeti
Orthosia populeti
( data includes Adult Stage only )
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 - Orthosia populeti – 28 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Taxon | Site Name | Tetrad | Year | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthosia populeti | Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 2021 | 29/03/2021 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 2019 | 22/03/2019 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Hardhurst Rd, Alvaston, Derby | SK33W | 2014 | 30/04/2014 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Hardhurst Rd, Alvaston, Derby | SK33W | 2011 | 29/03/2011 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Hardhurst Rd, Alvaston, Derby | SK33W | 2011 | 31/03/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Hardhurst Rd, Alvaston, Derby | SK33W | 2011 | 28/03/2011 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Hardhurst Rd, Alvaston, Derby | SK33W | 2010 | 28/04/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Beresford Dale (Tower),Hartington | SK15J | 2007 | 07/04/2007 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Beresford Dale (Tower),Hartington | SK15J | 2007 | 27/04/2007 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Calke Park | SK32L | 2007 | 12/03/2007 | 2 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Calke Park,Ticknall | SK32L | 2007 | 12/03/2007 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Brierley Hill,Unstone | SK37S | 2007 | 13/03/2007 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Edgecote Drive,Newhall,Swadlincote | SK22V | 2006 | 20/04/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Edgecote Drive,Newhall,Swadlincote | SK22V | 2005 | 01/04/2005 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | FOREMARK RESERVOIR | SK32H | 2005 | 25/03/2005 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Foremark Resr, Ticknall | SK32H | 2005 | 25/03/2005 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 2003 | 04/04/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 2003 | 07/04/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 2003 | 18/04/2003 | 2 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Orthosia populeti | Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 2003 | 18/04/2003 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 2003 | 04/04/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 2003 | 07/04/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | The Field,Shipley,Ilkeston | SK44M | 1995 | 11/04/1995 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Skinner St, Creswell, Worksop | SK57H | 1988 | 17/04/1988 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Carvers Rocks NR, Hartshorne, Swadlincote (site not precise) | SK32G | 1981 | 10/04/1981 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Crich Chase, Ambergate (site not precise) | SK35L | 1980 | 30/05/1980 | 20 | Larvae | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Newbold Drive, Chesterfield | SK37R | 1964 | 10/04/1964 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Orthosia populeti | Newbold Rd, Chesterfield | SK37R | 1963 | 03/04/1963 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |