Blotched Emerald       Little Emerald
70.302 BF1673  –  Geometridae –  Geometrinae – Hemistola chrysoprasaria – Small Emerald – (Esper, 1794) Adult Macro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others –       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Macro   >>  Geometridae  >> Geometrinae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: Very rounded wings and the rich blue-green colouration with sweeping curves of white cross-lines are characteristics of this species, helping to distinguish it from other Emerald species.
Distribution:  (First record: 1984 / 1985 )  –  (Last record: 2023 )  –  A resident that is scarce and locally distributed in Derbyshire. First recorded in 1984 and again in 1985 from the same area. So seems to be restricted to one location in the south of the county. A recent record from a Breaston garden trap on 30th June 2023, may indicate a range expansion in the county.
Flight Period: June /  July /  –  June – July Moth Activity: Nocturnal  Crepuscular   – active from dusk into the night Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Steve Thorpe  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 21 July 2025 by WS ***
Wingspan: 28-32mm
Forewing: 17-20mm Food Plant: Traveller’s joy (Clematis vitalba)
Last Recorded Year: 2023
First Recorded Year: 1984 / 1985
Last Recorded By – Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area – Not Recorded
IMAGES BELOW:  Image kindly provided by Steve Thorpe © – Breaston – 30th June 2023

70.302 BF1673 - Small Emerald - Geometridae - Hemistola -chrysoprasaria - Steve Thorpe
Small Emerald – Hemistola chrysoprasaria – Steve Thorpe
70.302 BF1673 - Small Emerald - Geometridae - Hemistola -chrysoprasaria - Steve Thorpe

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Distribution Map for Hemistola chrysoprasaria

Found 61 records
    ↳ 0 from After 2025
    ↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 60 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.

******* Choose ONLY one at a time, of either Monad, Tetrad or Hectad Distribution - each has it's own set of data. Also, the distribution maps cover ALL recorded data. *******

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.

Land-cover * shows the variety of land-cover within the VC57 area, based on the CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) forty-four thematic classes of land-cover. This will show, to a greater or lesser degree, the number and variety of moths found in different land-cover types. The UK continues to operate within the Copernicus programme, with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) providing Corine Land Cover (CLC) datasets for the UK and its territories.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Hemistola chrysoprasaria

⚠️ 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: Hemistola chrysoprasaria
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Hemistola chrysoprasaria
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: Hemistola chrysoprasaria
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Hemistola chrysoprasaria
AGR: -8.57%   |   Total % Change: -83.3%


CUSUM Analysis: Hemistola chrysoprasaria
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 12 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 7 (July) 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 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: Hemistola chrysoprasaria
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Hemistola chrysoprasaria
( 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 - Hemistola chrysoprasaria – 61 records available

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

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStageSource
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWoodland AveSK43R202330/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hemistola chrysoprasariaThe Meads, Shipley Park, HeanorSK44H201913/07/20191adultDanes_2019-2021
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201715/06/20171Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCharlesworth St,Carr Vale,BolsoverSK46U201406/07/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201412/07/20143Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaHillside, The Hillock, Curbur, CalverSK27M201426/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201424/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201421/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201414/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201322/08/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaNorton, SheffieldSK38R201325/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201328/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWelbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T201305/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWelbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T201306/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201304/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201306/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWelbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T201322/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201312/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCharlesworth St,Carr Vale,BolsoverSK46U201127/06/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaBackgarden MarehaySK34Z201006/07/20101adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hemistola chrysoprasariaBamford St,RipleySK34Z201006/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWest Park Meadows (LNR),SpondonSK33Y200910/07/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaElgar Drive,Sawley,Long EatonSK43R200903/07/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWilmot St,Long EatonSK43R200904/07/20093Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200928/06/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200923/06/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200928/06/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200923/06/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCarsington Resr area (road side)SK25L200823/08/20083Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaGallows Inn Close,IlkestonSK44Q200804/07/20083Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaElgar Drive,Sawley,Long EatonSK43R200710/06/20072Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaMain St,TicknallSK32R200617/07/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200617/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaLowes Hill,RipleySK35V200624/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWilmot St,Long EatonSK43R200624/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200617/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWestcroft Ave,Littleover,DerbySK33G200516/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWestcroft Ave,Littleover,DerbySK33G200502/07/20055Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaShipley Park (Cinder Hill), Shipley, IlkestonSK44H200502/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaThe Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M200521/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaShipley Park (Cinder Hill), Shipley, IlkestonSK44H200502/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaThe Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M200521/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCarsington ResrSK25L200509/06/20058Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200522/06/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaDrayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D200522/06/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCarsington Resr areaSK25L200526/05/20057Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCross Green Cottages,Flint Lane,South DarleySK26Q200416/07/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaSheffield Rd, Sheepbridge, ChesterfieldSK37S200429/06/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCharlesworth St,Carr Vale,BolsoverSK46U200406/06/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaSheffield Rd, Sheepbridge, ChesterfieldSK37S200429/06/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaArmitage Drive, Long EatonSK53B200322/07/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaHigh Tor, Matlock (site not precise)SK25Z200306/06/200321Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWood Lane,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V200322/06/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaWood Lane, Newhall, SwadlincoteSK22V200322/06/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCalke Park (Betty's Pool),TicknallSK32R199803/07/19981Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCalke Park (Betty's Pool),TicknallSK32R199803/07/19981Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaCross Green Cottages,Flint Lane,South DarleySK26Q199408/07/19941Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaShipley ParkSK44H199103/08/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaShipley ParkSK44H199103/08/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaShipley Wood,Shipley ParkSK44L198528/06/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hemistola chrysoprasariaTicknall Limeyards,TicknallSK32L198515/05/198513Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data

Blotched Emerald       Little Emerald

Copyright Tony Davison © 2025 www.derbyshiremoths.org

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