73.119 BF2368  –  Noctuidae –  Xyleninae – Helotropha leucostigma – The Crescent – (Hübner, 1808) 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   >>  Noctuidae  >> Xyleninae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: Forewing can be a dark chocolate brown or reddish brown and somewhat pointed. Kidney mark is chalky white or pale buff, narrow and crescent-like. The photograph by John Turner of a Common Rustic agg is shown on here for educational purposes. After an initial ID of Common Rustic, John though it might be a Crescent, due to shape and wing length. I replied to his post, and agreed that it might be one but the moth was well worn. Two respected recorders replied with their comments of the moth being a Common Rustic agg and not a Crescent. Their reasoning is posted here for future ID assistance – Comment 1) [“Sorry – this is a Common Rustic agg. for me. The reniform stigma is not quite the right shape and wing-length looks too short for Crescent (appreciate that is subjective from this photo alone). Meant to add that female Common Rustic agg. can look a little longer-winged than males” Comment 2) [“I agree that the reniform stigma doesn’t look either the right shape or bright enough for a Crescent, and from such a poor photo I’d be reluctant to call it anything but a Common Rustic agg. Even in the plain form of Crescent the kidney is very bright, and not just a ring as in this moth.”]
Distribution:  (Last record: 5 August 2025 at Dinting, Derbyshire )  –  A scarce species that is locally distributed in Derbyshire. A few populations survive at isolated sites in the Trent and Derwent Valleys. The 2nd record for NE Derbyshire was recorded during a Bioblitz at Dinting on 5th August 2025.
Flight Period: July /  August /  –  On the wing  July – August. Moth Activity: Nocturnal  Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Steve Orridge, Steve Thorpe, Dave Newcombe; Christian Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 37-44mm
Forewing: 14-17mm
Food Plant: Yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus).
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Dinting, Derbyshire

Selected Images:  Image by Steve Orridge©  /  Image Steve Thorpe© / Belper (2025) Dave Newcombe© / Common Rustic agg – New Mills (2025) John Turner© / Dinting (Aug 2025) Christian Heintzen©



Distribution Map for Helotropha leucostigma

Found 40 records
    ↳ 3 from After 2025
    ↳ 6 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 31 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 – Helotropha leucostigma

⚠️ 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: Helotropha leucostigma
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


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


CUSUM Analysis: Helotropha leucostigma
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 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 2010, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2009, 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: Helotropha leucostigma
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Helotropha leucostigma
( 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 - Helotropha leucostigma – 40 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Glossop SK, UKSK09C07/08/20251Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Dinting Nature ReserveSK09C06/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Belper, DerbyshireSK34N16/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
MellorSJ98Z04/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R16/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
King's NewtonSK32Y29/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern GardenSK33A11/08/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R27/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R27/08/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S29/08/20171Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S29/08/20171Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Drakelow NR (Minton's Lagoon), Burton on TrentSK22F13/09/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B04/08/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR,Burton on TrentSK22F20/07/20124Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Dronfield WoodhouseSK37J22/08/20111adultvc57_irecords_extract
Drakelow NR (Minton's Lagoon), Burton on TrentSK22F01/09/201020Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Marlborough Rd,Long EatonSK43X13/09/20102Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR (Minton's Lagoon), Burton on TrentSK22F01/09/201020Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR (Minton's Lagoon), Burton on TrentSK22F22/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Bristol Rd,IlkestonSK44R12/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR (Minton's Lagoon), Burton on TrentSK22F22/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR,Burton on TrentSK22F08/09/20072Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR,Burton on TrentSK22F13/09/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR,Burton on TrentSK22F08/09/20072Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drakelow NR,Burton on TrentSK22F13/09/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M01/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Edgecote Drive,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V14/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M01/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R07/08/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Stevens Rd, SandiacreSK43T27/08/19961Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Cross Green Cottages,Flint Lane,South DarleySK26Q22/07/19921Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R08/08/19881Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R21/08/19871Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Newbold Ave, ChesterfieldSK37R30/08/19571Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lumsdale, MatlockSK36A22/07/19571Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lumsdale, MatlockSK36A22/07/19571Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Berry St, Hepthorne LaneSK46C16/09/19541Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Linacre Resr, ChesterfieldSK37G01/09/19511Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Linacre Resr, ChesterfieldSK37G01/09/19511Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B04/08/19121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Scroll to Top