– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. ID pointers: Diagnostic long, pale streak in leading half of the rounded and tapering forewing. A “tented” posture. The ground colour varies from dark brownish-grey to a lighter grey.
Distribution: (Last record: October 2023 ) – A resident may be widely distributed but local, where the larval food plant Broom (Cytisus scoparius) is well established. Very few records with only two during 2019-2023.
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Forewing: 17-19mm
Last Recorded Year: October 2023
Last Recorded By – Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area – Not Recorded
Selected Images: Images by Nadine Snowshill ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Chesias legatella
Found 59 records
↳ 0 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 58 from Before 2020
↳ 0 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 58 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.
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 – Chesias legatella
⚠️ 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.
Monthly Records By Year:
Chesias legatella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Chesias legatella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Chesias legatella
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: Chesias legatella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Chesias legatella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
CUSUM Analysis: Chesias legatella
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 14 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 2019, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2017, 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: Chesias legatella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Chesias legatella
Chesias legatella
( 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 - Chesias legatella – 59 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hathersage, Derbyshire, UK | SK28F | 18/10/2022 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 07/12/2019 | 1 | adult | Danes_2019-2021 |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 03/11/2019 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 03/11/2019 | 2 | adult | Danes_2019-2021 |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 18/10/2019 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 18/10/2019 | 1 | adult | Danes_2019-2021 |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 04/11/2018 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 05/11/2018 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 21/10/2018 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 14/10/2018 | 8 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 17/10/2018 | 4 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 20/10/2018 | 4 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Birch Vale | SK08I | 18/10/2017 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 04/08/2017 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 31/10/2016 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 07/11/2015 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 24/10/2015 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington (railway station), Derby | SK22Z | 12/10/2015 | 21 | Larvae | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Pit CP, Pleasley | SK46X | 05/10/2013 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Clough Wood,Darley Dale | SK26K | 16/10/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 12/10/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Repton (site not precise) | SK32B | 01/10/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Pleasley Park (centre clearing) | SK56H | 04/10/2005 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| The Field,Shipley,Ilkeston | SK44M | 12/10/2005 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| The Field,Shipley,Ilkeston | SK44M | 12/10/2005 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| School Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley Dale | SK26R | 09/10/2004 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| School Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley Dale | SK26R | 09/10/2004 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| The Field,Shipley,Ilkeston | SK44M | 04/11/1994 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| The Field,Shipley,Ilkeston | SK44M | 04/11/1994 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Wilmot Drive, Sawley, Long Eaton | SK43W | 28/10/1991 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Wilmot St, Sawley, Long Eaton | SK43W | 28/10/1991 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Back Lane,Glapwell | SK46T | 13/10/1990 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Back Lane, Glapwell | SK46T | 13/10/1990 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Johnnygate, Barlow, Chesterfield | SK37C | 22/10/1988 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Johnnygate, Barlow, Chesterfield | SK37C | 22/10/1988 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Parkway, New Mills | SK08D | 03/10/1986 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Parkway, New Mills | SK08D | 05/10/1986 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Matlock (Teacher Training College) | SK36A | 09/10/1984 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Matlock (Teacher Training College) | SK36A | 09/10/1983 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Matlock (Teacher Training College) | SK36A | 16/10/1983 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Field Close, Hilton, Burton on Trent | SK23K | 12/10/1978 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Field Close, Hilton, Burton on Trent | SK23K | 12/10/1977 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Field Close, Hilton, Burton on Trent | SK23K | 06/10/1977 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Field Studies Building, Drakelow Nature Trail | SK21J | 29/10/1977 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Newbold Drive, Chesterfield | SK37R | 20/10/1965 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Newbold Drive, Chesterfield | SK37R | 16/10/1964 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Berry St, Hepthorne Lane | SK46C | 21/10/1962 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Berry St, Hepthorne Lane, North Wingfield | SK46C | 21/10/1962 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Berry St, Hepthorne Lane | SK46C | 09/10/1959 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Repton (site not precise) | SK32B | 11/10/1959 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Berry St, Hepthorne Lane, North Wingfield | SK46C | 09/10/1959 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| nr Dronfield (site not precise) | SK37T | 01/01/1958 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| nr Dronfield (site not precise) | SK37T | 01/10/1957 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington (railway station), Derby | SK22Z | 12/10/1915 | 21 | Larvae | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Repton (site not precise) | SK32B | 01/10/1909 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington, Derby (railway banks) (site not precise) | SK22Z | 01/01/1885 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington, Derby (railway banks) (site not precise) | SK22Z | 01/01/1885 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington, Derby (railway banks) (site not precise) | SK22Z | 01/01/1866 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington, Derby (railway bank btw station and North Stafford Jnct) ( site not precise) | SK22Z | 01/01/1866 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |