Small Emerald       Common Emerald
70.303 BF1674  –  Geometridae –  Geometrinae – Jodis lactearia – Little Emerald – (Linnaeus, 1758) Adult Macro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Can be confused with other species       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Macro   >>  Geometridae  >> Geometrinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
ID pointers: A small and delicately coloured pale light green emerald species, with a pair of faint white wavy cross-lines. The colour quickly fades to a very pale whitish green. Males have very fine feathered antennae.
Distribution:  (Last record: 19 July 2021 at Findern )  –  A resident, that appears to have become less common and very localised throughout Derbyshire. It was once common on the coal measure areas but scarce and even absent from the north of the county. During period 2013-2016 only 4 reported from 4 locations. Species could be in decline. Last recorded in 2021.
Flight Period: June /  July /  –  On the wing – June – July.One generation – comes to light in very small numbers Moth Activity: Nocturnal  Crepuscular   – active from dusk into the night Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Simon Roddis  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 23-26mm
Forewing: 11-12mm Food Plant: Birch (Betula), hawthorn (Crataegus) and oak (Quercus),
Last Recorded Year: 2021
Last Recorded By – Brian & Jean Hallam
Last Recorded General Area – Findern
Selected Images:  Darley Dale Image by Simon Roddis ©

70.303 BF1674 - Little Emerald - Geometridae - Jodis lactearia
Little Emerald – Jodis lactearia – Simon Roddis
70.303 BF1674 - Little Emerald - Geometridae - Jodis lactearia


Image Gallery

Little Emerald - Darley Dale - Simon Roddis©

Distribution Map for Jodis lactearia

Found 90 records
    ↳ 1 from After 2025
    ↳ 3 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 86 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 – Jodis lactearia

⚠️ 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: Jodis lactearia
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


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


CUSUM Analysis: Jodis lactearia
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 9 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 2009, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2006, 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: Jodis lactearia
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Jodis lactearia
( 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 - Jodis lactearia – 90 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Melbourne, DerbyshireSK32X01/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A19/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Marlborough Road, Long Eaton, DerbysSK43X04/07/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Nottingham NGFY, UKSK43V02/06/20201Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Greenwood Centre, TotonSK43X23/07/20162not recordedvc57_irecords_extract
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z18/06/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z07/06/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z10/06/20161Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Welbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T09/06/20161Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shirland-Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z23/06/20151Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z07/06/20141Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hallfieldgate Lane, Shirland, AlfretonSK35Z07/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hallfieldgate Lane, Shirland, AlfretonSK35Z07/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lancaster Ave,SandiacreSK43S18/06/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Welbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T17/06/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Chaddesden Wood, Chaddesden, DerbySK33Z27/07/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Not givenSK34M21/06/20121Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Welbeck Drive,WingerworthSK36T28/06/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Nether Close, DuffieldSK34M20/06/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R07/07/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Meynell Langley,Kirk LangleySK23Z04/06/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Holly St,Stapenhill,Burton on TrentSK22K26/06/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Holly St,Stapenhill,Burton on TrentSK22K02/07/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Holly St,Stapenhill,Burton on TrentSK22K04/07/20094Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Holly St,Stapenhill,Burton on TrentSK22K30/06/20092Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Stainsby Park,GlapwellSK46S02/06/20081Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lowes Hill,RipleySK35V14/07/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lowes Hill,RipleySK35V12/07/20072Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Mercaston Marsh, Mercaston, BrailsfordSK24R17/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D12/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Drayton Ave,Mackworth,DerbySK33D12/06/20061Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ticknall Limeyards, Calke ParkSK32R17/06/20051Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ticknall Limeyards,TicknallSK32R17/06/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Dimminsdale NR, CalkeSK32Q03/06/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hilton NR, Hilton, EtwallSK23K08/06/20021Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hilton NR, Hilton, EtwallSK23K14/06/20021Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Church St,Holloway,MatlockSK35I02/07/20011Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R30/06/19961Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R28/06/19931Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R28/06/19931Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Gallows Inn Close,IlkestonSK44Q31/05/19931Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Gallows Inn Close,IlkestonSK44Q31/05/19931Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R20/06/19922Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R16/06/19921Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R16/06/19921Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Lang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R20/06/19922Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Oakerthorpe LNR, AlfretonSK35X12/06/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F22/06/19831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F25/06/19831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F25/06/19831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shardlow Hall, Shardlow, Long EatonSK43F22/06/19831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Crich Chase, Ambergate (site not precise)SK35L28/05/19821Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks NR, Hartshorne, Swadlincote (site not precise)SK32G12/06/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D24/06/19812Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks NR,Hartshorne,SwadlincoteSK32G04/07/19792Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks NR,Hartshorne,SwadlincoteSK32G20/04/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Carvers Rocks NR,Hartshorne,SwadlincoteSK32G28/04/19791Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D15/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32I15/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D12/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B12/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Field Close, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K22/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D12/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D15/06/19761Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Askew Grove, ReptonSK32D01/01/19751Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B01/01/19751Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton Shrubs, Repton (site not precise)SK32B23/06/19731Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
John St, Clay CrossSK36W22/09/19621Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Harthill, Youlgreave (site not precise)SK26G12/07/19591Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Robin Wood, TicknallSK32S04/06/19591Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Melton Ave, Littleover, DerbySK33G27/05/19591Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Heath Av, Littleover (home address asumed)SK33H23/07/19561Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Robin Wood, TicknallSK32S13/06/19561Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Melton Ave, Littleover, DerbySK33G01/01/19566Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Berry St, Hepthorne LaneSK46C02/07/19531Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Berry St, Hepthorne Lane, North WingfieldSK46C02/07/19531Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hardwick Wood, Wingerworth (site not precise)SK36T07/06/19531Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Cowlishaw Wood, Old TuptonSK36S13/06/19531Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Cowlishaw Wood, Old TuptonSK36S13/06/19531Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tupton Wood, Old Tupton (site not precise)SK36X22/05/19531Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton Shrubs, ReptonSK32B01/05/19381Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton Shrubs, ReptonSK32B16/06/19361Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Stenson, Willington (site not precise)SK32J01/06/19321Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tibshelf (site not precise)SK46K01/01/19211Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32D16/06/19171Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32D23/05/19111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Derby (site not precise)SK33M01/07/18941Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Derby (site not precise)SK33M01/07/18941Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Beadsall Moor, Breadsall (site not precise)SK34R01/01/18831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Beadsall Moor, Breadsall (site not precise)SK34R01/01/18001Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Small Emerald       Common Emerald

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