- 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. Confusion Species: Engrailed
ID pointers: In common with many members of the family, this moth is quite variable and has a tendency to melanism. Well-marked individuals are quite easy to identify from the dark square spot on the forewing which gives rise to its English name. The confusion species, Engrailed, has the square-like blotch set away from the ‘W’ mark on outer edge on forewing, whereas on Square Spot it touches the ‘W’ mark on outer edge.
Distribution: (First record: 26/05/2016 ) - (Last record: 2024 ) - This species prefers woodland habitat, and is locally distributed in the south of England, Wales and southern Ireland, with scattered occurrences to northern England. So for one to be attracted to a light trap at Hartington, near Buxton, is an extremely unusual occurrence. This is the first VC57 record of this species, and it was recorded on 26/5/2016. The record was discovered whilst verifying old county records on iNaturalist. The recorder will be light trapping in the same area in 2024, so it will be interesting to see if this species still exists in the area, or if it was a one-off occurrence of a blow-in migrant.
Forewing: 18-20mm
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By: Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area: Not Recorded
First Recorded Date: 26/05/2016
IMAGES BELOW: Hartington, Buxton, Derbyshire – Image provided by Stephen Moores ©
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