– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce
– easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.ID pointers: Very variable in colour, with ground colour matching the soil or rocks in habitat. Markings consistent. Very scalloped fringes to fore & hind-wings. Also a very jagged central cross-line on fore & hind-wing and a “hollow” circle in central area on both wings.
Distribution: (Last record: 7 August 2025 at Matlock ) – A resident that is uncommon and locally distributed in Derbyshire. Seems confined to the Carboniferous Limestone areas of the county, with majority of sightings coming from the NW.
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 12 January 2026 by TD ***
Forewing: 15-18mm
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Dan Martin
Last Recorded General Area – Matlock
Selected Images: Photo by kind permission of Rowan Wakefield – during the day in a limestone dale, Buxton – 08/07/2021
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Charissa obscurata
Found 32 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 31 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 31 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 – Charissa obscurata
⚠️ 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:
Charissa obscurata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Charissa obscurata
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Charissa obscurata
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: Charissa obscurata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Charissa obscurata
AGR: -2.85% | Total % Change: -50%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Charissa obscurata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Charissa obscurata
Charissa obscurata
( 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 2020-2026.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Charissa obscurata – 32 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matlock, Derbyshire | SK26V | 08/08/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Hoe Grange Quarry | SK25I | 20/07/2019 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Derbyshire, UK | SK25I | 20/07/2018 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Millers Dale (quarry) | SK17G | 15/07/2017 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Station Quarry, Chee Dale | SK17G | 25/07/2016 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Hartington (station quarry) | SK16K | 01/08/2015 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Hartington (station quarry) | SK16K | 01/08/2015 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 29/08/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 01/08/2011 | 10 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 01/08/2011 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 01/08/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 01/08/2011 | 6 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 01/08/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 01/08/2011 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 11/07/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 19/09/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 4 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale (stepping stones) | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 25/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 25/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 25/07/2010 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Clough Wood,Darley Dale | SK26K | 08/08/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 05/07/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 05/07/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 05/07/2009 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 05/07/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 05/07/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Buxton (Station Quarry) | SK17G | 21/07/2007 | 4 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Bonsall Moor, Bonsall | SK25T | 28/07/2001 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |