Pyrausta aurata       Pyrausta ostrinalis
63.007 BF1362  –  Crambidae –  Pyraustinae – Pyrausta purpuralis – Common Purple and Gold – (Linnaeus, 1758) Adult Micro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive Species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread        day-flying – Day-flying
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Crambidae  >> Pyraustinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Pyrausta aurata
ID pointers: A small triangular shaped moth with a bright purple forewing and black hindwing. Similar to aurata but slightly larger. The forewing has an oblique gold yellow cross-band at about two thirds often appearing broken into three segments. One of which creates a large gold discal spot and sometimes with smaller spots. The cross band markings appear as though they are bordered with black or darker purple. Hindwing has a pale yellow to whitish cross-band running through it.
Distribution:  A common and widespread species across the county. Favours wild and cultivated thyme and a variety of wild and cultivated Mint.
Flight Period: June /  July /  August /  –  On the wing during June – August. Moth Activity: Cathemeral  – fly by day and by night Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: c.20mm
 Food Plant: Corn mint (Mentha arvensis) and Thyme (Thymus).
Recorded dates for Common [Blue code Blue-coded] moths are not stored on the website at this current time.
Selected Images:  Melbourne, Derbyshire – Tony Davison© 

Pyrausta purpuralis
Pyrausta purpuralis – Common Purple and Gold – Melbourne – Tony Davison
Pyrausta purpuralis


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Distribution Map for Pyrausta purpuralis

Found 72 records
    ↳ 13 from After 2025
    ↳ 21 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 38 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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.

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 – Pyrausta purpuralis

⚠️ 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.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Pyrausta purpuralis
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Pyrausta purpuralis
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Pyrausta purpuralis
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: Pyrausta purpuralis
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Pyrausta purpuralis
AGR: 1.23%   |   Total % Change: 30.8%


CUSUM Analysis: Pyrausta purpuralis
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 8 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 8 (August) 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 2008, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2018, 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: Pyrausta purpuralis
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Pyrausta purpuralis
( 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 - Pyrausta purpuralis – 72 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Markham Vale South Tip PerimeterSK47K02/09/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Chaddesden GardenSK33T13/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Inkersall gardenSK47G16/08/20252adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z15/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ilkeston, DerbyshireSK44K15/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y22/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Inkersall gardenSK47G04/07/20252adultvc57_irecords_extract
Carsington PSSK25L09/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y11/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P14/07/20253adultvc57_irecords_extract
Glossop, Gnat Hole Rough FieldsSK09L10/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Chaddesden, DerbySK33T21/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Toyota UK Burnaston Pond - SSK23V27/04/20251Adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y07/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y20/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y31/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P31/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Whitwell pitSK57I10/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Drakelow, Derbys.SK22F08/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Drakelow, Derbys.SK22F17/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
SandiacreSK43T02/09/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Derbyshire, UKSK07L19/07/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Wirksworth Stone CentreSK25X23/07/20233adultvc57_irecords_extract
Former Saint-Gobain Pipeworks, StaveleySK47C24/07/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Barrow Hill – restoration site W. of Hall LaneSK47H03/06/20231Not recordedvc57_irecords_extract
Blackwell, Bolsover, England, GBSK45I26/05/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Peak District National Park, Sheffield, England, GBSK27U15/08/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ninelands RoadSK28F28/08/20222adultvc57_irecords_extract
Orchid WoodSK43L10/08/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Kirk Hallam, IlkestonSK44K13/08/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Drakelow, Derbys.SK22F27/05/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A01/09/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R06/08/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Melbourne, DerbyshireSK32X20/08/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X25/07/20193adultDanes_2019-2021
Breaston LagoonSK43R07/06/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Coombs Dale, CalverSK27H16/08/20181adultvc57_irecords_extract
CressbrookSK17V19/07/20181not recordedvc57_irecords_extract
Duffield Rd, Allestree, DerbySK34K02/07/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Millennium Meadow NR, DuffieldSK34L18/08/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Welbeck Drive,WingerworthSK36T04/08/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Sunningdale Ave, SpondonSK33Y22/04/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R07/08/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Marlborough Rd,Long EatonSK43X22/08/20102Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hardhurst Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33W20/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Rose Av,ClowneSK57D21/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
DovedaleSK15K25/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
DovedaleSK15K25/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
DovedaleSK15K30/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Marlborough Rd,Long EatonSK43X21/06/20102Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Melbourne, DerbyshireSK32X11/08/20091adultvc57_irecords_extract
Spinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X11/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Bristol Rd,IlkestonSK44R19/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Newboundmill Lane,PleasleySK56C09/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Alfreton Park, AlfretonSK45C29/08/20082Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Westcroft Ave,Littleover,DerbySK33G23/09/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Church St,Holloway,MatlockSK35I07/08/20066Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Westcroft Ave,Littleover,DerbySK33G31/08/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Melbourne, DerbyshireSK32X28/07/20062adultvc57_irecords_extract
Westcroft Ave,Littleover,DerbySK33G01/07/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R24/07/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R25/07/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Church St,Holloway,MatlockSK35I26/07/20062Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Spinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X28/07/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Spinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X21/08/20052Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Spinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X16/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Church St,Holloway,MatlockSK35I17/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Long Dale, PikehallSK15Z14/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Rosliston (National Forest Centre), SwadlincoteSK21N06/08/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Westcroft Ave,Littleover,DerbySK33G31/05/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wood Lane,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V06/08/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
nr West HallamSK44L20/08/19971Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Pyrausta aurata       Pyrausta ostrinalis

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