December Moth       The Lackey
66.002 BF1632  –  Lasiocampidae –  Malacosomatinae – Trichiura crataegi – Pale Eggar – (Linnaeus, 1758) 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   >>  Lasiocampidae  >> Malacosomatinae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: The moth is easily identified as it is the only grey eggar in Britain. The flight period also helps with the ID process.The forewing colour and patterning is diagnostic.
Distribution:  (Last record: 21 August 2024 at Aston Gravel Pits )  –  A resident that seems to be thinly distributed throughout South Derbyshire, which remains uncommon, and almost absent elsewhere in the county. Numbers recorded each year are low and in single figures. During 2019-2023 only five records. A total of 10 were recorded from Ambaston GP on 21/8/2024.
Flight Period: August /  September /  –  On the wing August – September.One generation – both sexes come to light Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 25-30mm
Forewing: 14-17mm Food Plant: Birches, Blackthorn and Hawthorns
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Martin Roome
Last Recorded General Area – Aston Gravel Pits
Selected Images:  Male – note the feathered antennae /  Melbourne – Images by Tony Davison ©

66.002 BF1632 - Pale Eggar - Lasiocampidae - Trichiura crataegi
Pale Eggar – Trichiura crataegi
66.002 BF1632 - Pale Eggar - Lasiocampidae - Trichiura crataegi
Pale Eggar – Trichiura crataegi
66.002 BF1632 - Pale Eggar - Lasiocampidae - Trichiura crataegi
Pale Eggar – Trichiura crataegi
66.002 BF1632 - Pale Eggar - Lasiocampidae - Trichiura crataegi
66.002 BF1632 - Pale Eggar - Lasiocampidae - Trichiura crataegi
66.002 BF1632 - Pale Eggar - Lasiocampidae - Trichiura crataegi


Image Gallery

Pale Eggar - 16th August 2006 - Melbourne - Tony Davison© Pale Eggar - 16th August 2006 - Melbourne - Tony Davison©

 

Distribution Map for Trichiura crataegi

Found 91 records
    ↳ 3 from After 2025
    ↳ 7 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 81 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 – Trichiura crataegi

⚠️ 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: Trichiura crataegi
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


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


CUSUM Analysis: Trichiura crataegi
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 15 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 2024, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2022, 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: Trichiura crataegi
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Trichiura crataegi
( 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 - Trichiura crataegi – 91 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Findern, DerbyshireSK33A03/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, DerbyshireSK33A11/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Littleove, DerbySK33G22/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ambaston Gravel PitsSK43F21/08/202410adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staunton Harold Reservoir, DerbyshireSK32S15/08/20232adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern GardenSK33A16/08/20232Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A12/08/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A11/08/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A23/08/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A09/08/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hillside, Findern, DerbySK33A19/08/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y19/08/20121Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staunton Harold ResrSK32S19/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Melbourne, DerbyshireSK32X22/08/20071adultvc57_irecords_extract
Spinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X22/08/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Melbourne, DerbyshireSK32X16/08/20061adultvc57_irecords_extract
Spinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X16/08/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Calke Park (Church gardens area), TicknallSK32R27/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Calke Park (Church gardens area), TicknallSK32R27/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Charlesworth St,Carr Vale,BolsoverSK46U02/08/19993Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Calke Park (Poker's Leys), TicknallSK32R21/08/19982Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Calke Park (Poker's Leys), TicknallSK32R21/08/19982Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Elvaston Park, DerbySK43B18/08/19951Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Elvaston Park, DerbySK43B18/08/19951Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R27/08/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R27/08/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Back Lane,GlapwellSK46T25/08/19901Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R18/08/19891Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Elvaston Park, Derby (site not precise)SK43B05/09/19861Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Elvaston Park, Derby (site not precise)SK43B05/09/19861Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F01/09/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F03/09/19852Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F12/09/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F01/09/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F03/09/19852Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F12/09/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F30/08/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F22/08/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F22/08/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F30/08/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F05/09/19841Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F05/09/19841Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F28/08/19822Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D23/08/19822Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F19/08/19821Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F24/08/19821Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F24/08/19821Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F28/08/19822Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F19/08/19821Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D23/08/19822Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks NR, Hartshorne, Swadlincote (site not precise)SK32G06/09/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F25/08/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F25/08/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F02/09/19801Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D24/09/19801Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F02/09/19801Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R23/08/19801Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F28/08/19802Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F28/08/19802Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks, Hartshorne, SwadlincoteSK32G06/09/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F02/09/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F09/09/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F09/09/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F02/09/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks, Hartshorne, SwadlincoteSK32G29/08/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D30/08/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F30/08/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F25/08/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F31/08/19792Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F30/08/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F25/08/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F31/08/19792Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F03/09/19782Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F05/09/19781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F10/09/19781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F10/09/19781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F03/09/19782Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F05/09/19781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F26/08/19781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F26/08/19781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F03/09/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Holly Wood NR, Edlaston, AshbourneSK14R14/09/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F03/09/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D27/08/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D27/08/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hilton GP NR, HiltonSK23K31/08/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D27/08/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hilton NR, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K21/08/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hilton NR, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K21/08/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Field Close, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K29/08/19751Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Field Close, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K30/08/19741Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

December Moth       The Lackey

Copyright Tony Davison © 2025 www.derbyshiremoths.org

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