Pale Oak Beauty - Brian Hobby
70.268 BF1944  – Pale Oak Beauty  – Hypomecis punctinalis  – (Scopoli, 1763)
Adult Macro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Good photographs maybe required – Can be confused with other species      
PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

Brown –  Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant    
Taxonomy:   Macro  >>.  >>  Geometridae  >> Larentiinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Great Oak Beauty
ID pointers: A plainer looking moth than Great Oak Beauty and identified by the dark central spot on hind wing, which is pale-centred. The forewing is grey or grey-brown, finely speckled. Most noticeable markings are a fine, scalloped, dark outer central cross-line and a thickened, often broken, wavy whitish cross-line near the outer edge and is sometimes dark edged.
Distribution:  (First record: 1992 )  –  (Last record: 30 June 2025 at Darwin Forest )  –  Uncertain, but very rare, first recorded in Derbyshire in 1992. One attracted to a garden light trap at Kirk Langley on 13th May 2024 by Brian Hobby, is the first record since 1992. Another individual was recorded by Sid Morris on 26th June 2024 at Markham Vale. One from Darwin Forest, Matlock 30/6/2025.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: May /  June /  July –  May – July Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – but can be disturbed during the day Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Brian Hobby, Sid Morris, Dave Evans  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 18 February 2026 by TD ***
Wingspan: 46-55mm
Forewing: 22-26mm
Food Plant: Oak (Quercus), Birch (Betula) and other trees.
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 1992
Last Recorded By – Dave Evans
Last Recorded General Area – Darwin Forest

Selected Images:  Kirk Langley 13th May 2024 – Brian Hobby © / 26/6/24 Markham Vale – Sid Morris © / Darwin Forest 30th June 2025 – Dave Evans©



Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1992 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Hypomecis punctinalis

Found 5 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 3 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 2 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 – Hypomecis punctinalis

⚠️ 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: Hypomecis punctinalis
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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

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

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Hypomecis punctinalis
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Hypomecis punctinalis

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 - Hypomecis punctinalis – 5 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageRecorderSourceRecordKey
Darwin ForestSK26X30/06/20251adultEvans, Davevc57_irecords_extractiBRC43015031
Markham Vale South TipSK47K26/06/20241adultMorris, Sidvc57_irecords_extractiBRC36697359
Ilkeston, DerbyshireSK44K09/05/20241adultHobby, Brianvc57_irecords_extractiBRC36051561
Dronfield WoodhouseSK37J30/06/20121adultWilliamson, Andyvc57_irecords_extractiBRC45451909
Far Cross,Cavendish Park,MatlockSK36A30/05/19921AdultB.L. Stathamvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001OIVXF

Scroll to Top