Early Thorn       Purple Thorn
no image picture
70.238 BF1918  – Lunar Thorn  – Selenia lunularia  – (Hübner, 1788)
Adult Macro:  CAT 3 – Difficult to identify – Quality set of photographs required – Difficult to identify /Very rare/Scarce (includes very scarce adventives/immigrants)/County-level first records      
PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Brown –  Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant    
Taxonomy:   Macro  >>.  >>  Geometridae  >> Larentiinae
** Photograph required **
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Purple Thorn
Distribution:  (Last record: 2007 at Sandiacre )  –  Last recorded 2007 – A resident that is generally scarce to rare. Recorded very sporadically.
General Comment: None Flight Period: May /  June –  May – June – one generation – rarely seen other than at light traps Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: No –  Photographed By: Not Recorded
*** Last updated on 19 January 2026 by TD ***
Wingspan: 38-44mm
Forewing: 16-22mm Food Plant: Oak (Quercus) and birch (Betula).
Last Recorded Year: 2007
Last Recorded By – DaNES Historical records
Last Recorded General Area – Sandiacre
Selected Images:  No images


Image Gallery

No gallery images found for this moth.


Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1974 - 2007)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Selenia lunularia

Found 33 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 33 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 – Selenia lunularia

⚠️ 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: Selenia lunularia
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Selenia lunularia
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )

First/Last Recorded Dates: Selenia lunularia
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: Selenia lunularia
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Selenia lunularia
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Selenia lunularia
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Selenia lunularia

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 - Selenia lunularia – 33 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageRecorderSourceRecordKey
Lancaster Ave,SandiacreSK43S10/08/20071AdultI.M. Vilesvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OJJDL
Newboundmill Lane,PleasleySK56C05/07/20041AdultC. Stubbs;M.J. Stubbsvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHQ7S
The Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M13/06/19961AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIZM1
The Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M13/06/19961AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WOS2V
Pond House, Mapperley Res, IlkestonSK44G05/08/19881AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OITCX
Pond House, Mapperley Res, IlkestonSK44G05/08/19881AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WQABT
Pond House, Mapperley Res, IlkestonSK44G04/06/19881AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIE71
Pond House, Mapperley Res, IlkestonSK44G04/06/19881AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WP034
Shipley Wood, Shipley ParkSK44L05/06/19821AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHYJL
Drummond Rd, IlkestonSK44R13/08/19811AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHHLB
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D13/06/19811AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OINJM
Repton (site not precise)SK32B28/05/19801AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHXNT
Drummond Rd, IlkestonSK44R28/05/19801AdultT. Durovc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHXO3
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F16/05/19801AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHXMU
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F16/05/19801AdultR.H. Dumelowvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WPUQ9
Carvers Rocks, Hartshorne, SwadlincoteSK32G19/06/19791AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OILNX
Carvers Rocks, Hartshorne, SwadlincoteSK32G11/06/19791AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHGID
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F06/06/19791AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHGI0
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F06/06/19791AdultA. Dickvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WOPEF
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F01/06/19791AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OILM1
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F01/06/19791AdultA. Dickvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WPIY7
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D20/05/19791AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHXGG
Repton Shrubs, Repton (site not precise)SK32B12/05/19791AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OILL7
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F05/06/19781AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIL2Q
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F05/06/19781AdultA. Dickvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WP0RB
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F31/05/19781AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIL10
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F31/05/19781AdultA. Dickvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WP3IL
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F24/06/19771AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OHFY2
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F24/06/19771AdultA. Dickvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WOR95
Field Close, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K06/08/19751AdultVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIJBX
Wood Lane,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V31/05/19741AdultDave Budworthvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIIGQ
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D31/05/19741AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIIGS
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D31/05/19741AdultD.A. Youngvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001WOZ7K

Early Thorn       Purple Thorn

Copyright Tony Davison © 2024 - 2026 www.derbyshiremoths.org

Scroll to Top