73.087 BF2385 – Small Mottled Willow – Spodoptera exigua – (Hübner, 1808)
Adult Macro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Good photographs maybe required – 
– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Migrant
– easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.ID pointers: Has a distinctive resting posture with its narrow forewings wrapped around its body. The ground colour is a dull grey-brown with a prominent orange oval and kidney marks.
Distribution: (First record: 1988 ) – (Last record: 29 August 2025 at Shirland ) – A scarce immigrant to Derbyshire. Several trapped in August 2003 during high migrant activity and possibly only one previous record (1988). One recorded on 7th September 2024 at Darley Bridge, during a time of high migrant moth activity on the east coast of England. 2025 – 8 records from 7 sites
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 24 January 2026 by TD ***
Forewing: 13-14mm
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 1988
Last Recorded By – Nikki Mahadevan
Last Recorded General Area – Shirland
Selected Images: Darley Bridge 1st Sept 2024 – Stephen Moores© / Melbourne & Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Tony Davison© / Glossop (June 2025) Christian Heintzen© / Kimgs Newton (July2025) Tony Davison© / Froggatt 16/8/25 – Bryan Barnacle©
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1988 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
Distribution Map for Spodoptera exigua
Found 27 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 10 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 17 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 10 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 17 from Before 2020
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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.
NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Spodoptera exigua
⚠️ 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:
Spodoptera exigua
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Spodoptera exigua
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Spodoptera exigua
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: Spodoptera exigua
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Spodoptera exigua
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Spodoptera exigua
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Spodoptera exigua
Spodoptera exigua
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 2020-2026.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Spodoptera exigua – 27 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirland - Hallfieldgate Lane | SK35Z | 29/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Mahadevan, Nikki | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44918918 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 27/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44851732 |
| Glossop, Hague Street, Hay Meadow | SK09G | 25/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48746985 |
| Parwich, Ashbourne DEQN, UK | SK15S | 18/08/2025 | 1 | Adult | drtimk | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44558670 |
| Froggatt | SK27N | 16/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Barnacle, Bryan | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44531502 |
| King's Newton | SK32Y | 27/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48469934 |
| Glossop, Hague Street, Hay Meadow | SK09G | 25/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43980634 |
| Mickleover garden | SK33C | 09/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Maughan, Christine | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44890812 |
| Glossop, Gnat Hole Rough Fields | SK09L | 28/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43979819 |
| Darley Bridge | SK26Q | 08/09/2024 | 1 | Adult | Moores, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38738039 |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 24/09/2011 | 1 | Adult | M.E. Bradley | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJTQ6 |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 26/07/2008 | 1 | Adult | M.E. Bradley | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OKL7A |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 23/06/2007 | 1 | Adult | M.E. Bradley | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OKH92 |
| The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley Dale | SK26R | 21/09/2006 | 1 | Adult | Roddis, Simon | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OI936 |
| Far Cross,Cavendish Park,Matlock | SK36A | 26/08/2006 | 1 | Adult | B.L. Statham | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJFN0 |
| Far Cross,Cavendish Park,Matlock | SK36A | 29/07/2006 | 1 | Adult | B.L. Statham | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJEWU |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 26/07/2006 | 2 | Adult | M.E. Bradley | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJEQO |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 24/07/2006 | 1 | Adult | M.E. Bradley | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OI8BT |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 05/09/2003 | 1 | Adult | M.E. Bradley | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJ4LI |
| Spinney Hill,Melbourne | SK32X | 24/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | Davison, Tony | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJHE2 |
| Whitwell Wood (centre area), Whitwell, Worksop | SK57J | 23/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OHPG8 |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 22/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJ4G2 |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 17/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJ4D8 |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 12/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OJ4AT |
| Stevens Rd, Sandiacre | SK43T | 20/08/1995 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OIERH |
| South Head Farm, Hayfield | SK08S | 17/09/1988 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OIEO0 |
| Sett Valley Trail, New Mills | SK08D | 07/09/1988 | 1 | Adult | S. Young | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OI0AO |