73.127 BF2357 - Large Ear - Noctuidae - Amphipoea lucens
73.127 BF2357  – Large Ear  – Amphipoea lucens  – (Freyer, 1845)
Adult Macro:  CAT 4 – Dissection required – Dissection required      
PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread   
Taxonomy:   Macro  >>.  >>  Noctuidae  >> Xyleninae
ID Difficulty:  Red – difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Saltern Ear Moth, Ear Moth
ID pointers: Be aware of the Ear Moth – The ‘Ear’ moths are much alike so making positive ID difficult. Gen-Det is required to be 100% on ID. The Ear moth trio is very difficult to identify, so records of Saltern Ear and Ear Moth, it is recommended they are recorded as Ear Moth agg, unless there is evidence to support the record otherwise.
Distribution:  A resident that appears to be locally common and widely distributed and primarily across the upland moors of North Derbyshire. This specimen was trapped on August 22nd 2020 and identified by Gen-Det per Steve Orridge and Mike Dale
General Comment: None
Flight Period: August /  September –  On the wing August – September Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Mike Dale  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 30-36mm
Forewing: 14-17mm
Food Plant: Purple moor-grass (Molinea caerulea).
Specific Recorded History Dates for Common [Blue code Blue-coded] moths is not displayed/updated in this tab. However, all verified records for this moth are listed in the RECORDS tab below.

Selected Images:  22nd August 2020 – Steve Orridge©  with Gen Det by Mike Dale



Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1963 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
This chart summarises all available historical occurrence records collated by ISO week of the year. It reflects recorder effort and sampling distribution as well as true biological activity, and should be interpreted as an indicative pattern of seasonal occurrence rather than a statistically controlled abundance or phenology model.

Distribution Map for Amphipoea lucens

Found 11 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 3 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 8 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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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 – Amphipoea lucens

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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.

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Monthly Records By Year: Amphipoea lucens
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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

First/Last Recorded Dates: Amphipoea lucens
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: Amphipoea lucens
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Amphipoea lucens
AGR: -1.43%   |   Total % Change: -25%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Amphipoea lucens
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Amphipoea lucens

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 - Amphipoea lucens – 11 records available

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

Site Name Tetrad Date Count Stage Recorder Source RecordKey
Nether North Grain, Snake Road SK19B 24/08/2025 1 adult Neil Sherman vc57_irecords_extract iBRC48245002
Ladycroft Ave, Buxton SK07S 25/07/2025 2 adult Orridge, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC43874454
Ladycroft Ave, Buxton SK07S 22/08/2020 1 adult Orridge, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC37657266
Flash Lane,Beeley Moor SK26X 07/08/2009 1 Adult B.L. Statham vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OKPF7
Alport Dale, nr Ladybower Resr SK18P 06/09/2005 2 Adult H.E. Beaumont;R.F. Botterill vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OHS7T
Matlock (Teacher Training College) SK36A 01/09/1982 1 Adult VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OIPH0
Beeley Moor, Beeley (site not precies) SK26Z 19/09/1981 1 Adult VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OHYE7
Beeley Moor, Beeley (site not precise) SK26Z 19/09/1981 1 Adult B. Elliott vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WOZL6
Wragg's Quarry,Rowsley Moor SK26Y 05/09/1981 1 Adult VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OHYDB
Wragg's Quarry, Beeley Moor, Beeley SK26Y 05/09/1981 1 Adult B. Elliott vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WPJ4I
Slagmill Plantation,Beeley Moor SK36E 17/09/1963 1 Adult B. Elliott vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WOSV6

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