Small Wainscot       Webb's Wainscot
73.147 BF2345  –  Noctuidae –  Xyleninae – Photedes minima – Small Dotted Buff 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  >> Noctuidae  >> Xyleninae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: A small moth that has yellowish-straw or whitish-straw forewings that are sometimes tinged pinkish. A scattering of tiny dark spots across the upper wing surface. A triangular brown mark towards the wing tip. The female is smaller with narrower forewing.
Distribution:  A resident that is locally common and widely distributed in Derbyshire. Present in all areas of the county but more numerous in the north particularly on the Grit-stone Uplands and Coal Measures. Not so common as it once was in the south.
Flight Period: June /  July /  August /  –  On the wing June – August. Moth Activity: Nocturnal  Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 6 May 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 20-23mm
Forewing: 11-14mm Food Plant: Tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa).
Recorded dates for Common [Blue codeBlue-coded ] moths are not stored on the website at this current time.
IMAGES BELOW:  Glossop – Christian Heintzen© / Melbourne, Derbyshire – Tony Davison©

73.147 BF2345 - Small Dotted Buff - Noctuidae - Photedes minima
Small Dotted Buff – 29th June 2024 – Glossop – Christian Heintzen
Small Dotted Buff - Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff – female – Melbourne – July 18th 2020 – Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff - Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff – female – Melbourne – July 18th 2020 – Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff - Noctuidae - Photedes minima
Small Dotted Buff – Noctuidae – Photedes minima – Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff - Noctuidae - Photedes minima
Small Dotted Buff – Noctuidae – Photedes minima – Tony Davison
73.147 BF2345 - Small Dotted Buff - Noctuidae - Photedes minima
Small Dotted Buff - Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff - Tony Davison
Small Dotted Buff - Noctuidae - Photedes minima
Small Dotted Buff - Noctuidae - Photedes minima

2345-small-dotted-buff Small Dotted Buff - 15th July 2004 - Melbourne - Tony Davison©

Distribution Map for Photedes minima

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 727 records
    ↳ 0 from After 2025
    ↳ 97 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 630 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: Photedes minima

Monthly Counts By Year: Photedes minima

Recordings By Year: Photedes minima

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Photedes minima

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Photedes minima

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 - Photedes minima – 727 records available

Listed by Year - descending

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCount
Photedes minimaGlossop, Northwest of TwitchlingsSK09L202421/07/20241
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202416/08/20241
Photedes minimaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202424/07/20241
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202423/07/20241
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202418/07/20244
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202412/07/20241
Photedes minimaMidway, Derbys.SK32A202418/07/20241
Photedes minimaGlossop, Gnat Hole Rough FieldsSK09L202429/06/20242
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202426/07/20241
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202417/07/20241
Photedes minimaGlossop, Gnat Hole Rough FieldsSK09L202401/08/20241
Photedes minimaGlossop, Gnat Hole Rough FieldsSK09L202413/07/20241
Photedes minimaWhite Knowle Road, BuxtonSK07R202401/08/20241
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202429/07/20241
Photedes minimaMiddleton by WirksworthSK25T202419/07/20241
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202414/07/20242
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202403/08/20241
Photedes minimabeeleySK26U202423/06/20241
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202426/07/20241
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202430/06/20241
Photedes minimaGlossop, Cown EdgeSK09A202409/08/20241
Photedes minimaTorside Reservoir southeast endSK09U202428/07/20241
Photedes minimaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202401/07/20242
Photedes minimaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202429/07/20242
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202425/07/20243
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202419/07/20243
Photedes minimaOwler Bar, Sheffield S17 3BQ, UKSK27U202420/07/20241
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202431/07/20241
Photedes minimabeeleySK26U202423/06/20241
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202419/07/20241
Photedes minimaCharlesworth, Cown Edge LandslideSK09A202402/09/20241
Photedes minimaGlossop, Gnat Hole Rough FieldsSK09L202407/08/20241
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202321/07/20231
Photedes minimaGlossop, Gnat Hole Rough FieldsSK09L202306/08/20231
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202306/08/20231
Photedes minimaGlossop, Simmondly Oak WoodSK09B202329/06/20231
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202319/07/20231
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202309/07/20231
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202305/07/20232
Photedes minimaLower Cromford GardenSK25Y202323/07/20231
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202316/07/20231
Photedes minimaGlossop, Shawmoor PlantationSK09F202313/07/20231
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202327/07/20231
Photedes minimaNinelands RoadSK28F202313/07/20231
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202308/07/20231
Photedes minimaBelperSK34U202319/07/20231
Photedes minimaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202304/07/20231
Photedes minimaBelper GardenSK34P202329/07/20231
Photedes minimaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202328/06/20231
Photedes minimaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202312/07/20232
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202320/07/20235
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202311/07/20232
Photedes minimaMellorSJ98Z202306/07/20233
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202210/07/20221
Photedes minimaLUDWORTH MOORSJ99V202201/08/20221
Photedes minimaDerbyshire, England, United KingdomSK07S202218/07/20221
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202202/08/20223
Photedes minimaHoe Grange QuarrySK25I202202/07/20221
Photedes minimaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202224/06/20221
Photedes minimaFindern, Derbyshire, DE65 6AZSK33A202211/07/20221
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202216/07/20221
Photedes minimaSandiacre, Longmoor LaneSK43T202214/07/20221
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202226/07/20221
Photedes minimaLadycroft AveSK07S202219/07/20221
Photedes minimaThe Hollies, Darley DaleSK26R202218/07/20221
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202224/06/20221
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202219/07/20221
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202205/08/20221
Photedes minimaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202212/07/20222
Photedes minimaGrinlow Woods, Derbyshire, UKSK07L202216/07/20221
Photedes minimaKirk Hallam, IlkestonSK44K202217/07/20221
Photedes minimaSandiacreSK43T202209/07/20221
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202131/07/20211
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202120/07/20211
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202123/08/20211
Photedes minimaThornhill CarrSK18X202107/07/20211
Photedes minimaSK33A202109/07/20211
Photedes minimaMidway, Derbys.SK32A202114/06/20211
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202126/07/20211
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202113/07/20211
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202113/08/20211
Photedes minimaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202109/07/20212
Photedes minimaBuxton SK17, UKSK07S202126/07/20211
Photedes minimaFindern, Derbyshire, DE65 6AZSK33A202109/07/20211
Photedes minimaHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202123/07/20212
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202118/07/20212
Photedes minimaNinelands RoadSK28F202123/07/20211
Photedes minimaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202108/07/20211
Photedes minimaStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202115/07/20211
Photedes minimaHathersageSK28F202109/07/20211
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202021/07/20201
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202011/08/20201
Photedes minimaNinelands RoadSK28F202010/08/20201
Photedes minimaFerneydale Grassland, BuxtonSK07Q202008/07/20201
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202031/07/20201
Photedes minimaMelbourne, DerbyshireSK32X202017/07/20201
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I202016/07/20201
Photedes minimaLong Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X201928/06/20191
Photedes minimaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S201926/07/20191
Photedes minimaBirch ValeSK08I201929/07/20191

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

Small Wainscot       Webb's Wainscot

Copyright Tony Davison © 2025 www.derbyshiremoths.org

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