– 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: Chalky-white wings, hence its name. Forewing pattern is diagnostic with the dark brown central cross-band stopping abruptly before the middle of the wing. Also a white blotch is obvious in the central area of the dark brown outer border.
Distribution: (Last record: 20 June 2023 at Belper ) – Latest record away from the known recording site – June 20th 2023 – There is only one know site in South Derbyshire, however, Dave Evans trapped a specimen in his garden trap on 20th June 2023. Just an incredible record of such an isolated and rare species in Derbyshire.
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Forewing: 16-18mm
Last Recorded Year: 2023
Last Recorded By – Dave Evans
Last Recorded General Area – Belper
Selected Images: Image kindly provided by Dave Evans ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Melanthia procellata
Found 11 records
↳ 0 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 10 from Before 2020
↳ 0 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 10 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.
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 – Melanthia procellata
⚠️ 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:
Melanthia procellata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Melanthia procellata
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Melanthia procellata
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: Melanthia procellata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Melanthia procellata
AGR: -3.78% | Total % Change: -50%
CUSUM Analysis: Melanthia procellata
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 22 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 2006, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2023, 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: Melanthia procellata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Melanthia procellata
Melanthia procellata
( 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 - Melanthia procellata – 11 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belper | SK34U | 20/06/2023 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main St,Ticknall | SK32R | 23/07/2008 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main St,Ticknall | SK32R | 01/08/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main St,Ticknall | SK32R | 24/07/2006 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main St,Ticknall | SK32R | 24/07/2005 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ticknall Limeyards,Ticknall | SK32R | 20/06/1998 | 6 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ticknall Limeyards (Open area), Ticknall | SK32L | 24/06/1997 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ticknall Limeyards,Ticknall | SK32R | 11/06/1997 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ticknall Limeyards,Ticknall | SK32R | 14/06/1997 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ticknall Limeyards, Ticknall (site not precise) | SK32L | 29/06/1982 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Welbeck Rd, Bolsover | SK47Q | 01/08/1969 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |