70.159 BF1855 – Cypress Pug – Eupithecia phoeniceata – (Rambur, 1834)
Adult Macro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Good photographs maybe required – 
– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Migrant
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. ID pointers: Quite an unmistakeable moth, due to blackish horizontal streaks through central forewing which are paired and run almost parallel to a small rounded black discal spot. There is a blackish band across the abdomen and the wings are very narrow, with paler brown ground colour than in other pugs of similar appearance.
Distribution: (First record: 20 September 2021 at Midway ) – (Last record: 6 September 2025 at Sandiacre & Norton Lees ) – A record of this species appeared on iRecord and has been verified by the Records Team. A specimen was recorded from Midway on 20th September 2021. This represents the first record of this species for VC57 and Derbyshire. The individual that was recorded from an overnight trap at Allestree, Derby, 13/14 August 2022 now becomes the second record, with another from Newall on 2 October 2022. Three remarkable records. Further records from Sheffield (VC57) 1 September 2023, Sandiacre 10 September 2023, Cromford, 11 September 2023. and Glapwell 16 September 2023. The eighth individual was recorded by Brian Hobby from his Kirk Hallam garden on 29 August 2024. A single individual recorded from a Sandiacre garden on 1st September 2024 by Emily Louise Milnes is now the ninth Derbyshire record. Dave Newcombe from Belper recorded the tenth individual overnight on 7th October 2024. 2 records on 6/9/2025 represent 11th & 12th individuals. Since the first one was recorded in Cornwall in 1959, this species has been expanding its range along the south coast and northwards into the south Midlands. First recorded in VC55 (Leics & Rutland) 4years ago. The larval food plant is Monterey Cypress, but also accepts Lawson’s Cypress and Leyland Cypress in captivity.
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 31 December 2025 by TD ***
Forewing: 10-11mm
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 2021
Last Recorded By – Emily Milnes & Pete Mella
Last Recorded General Area – Sandiacre & Norton Lees
Selected Images: Belper, Sandiacre, Kirk Hallam, Sheffield (VC57), Allestree – Images by kind permission of Dave Newcombe ©, Emily Louise Milnes ©, Brian Hobby ©, Malcolm Tait ©, Stephen Plant ©
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2021 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
Distribution Map for Eupithecia phoeniceata
Found 15 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 15 from 2020 - 2025
↳ from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 15 from 2020 - 2025
↳ from Before 2020
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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 – Eupithecia phoeniceata
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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.
Monthly Records By Year:
Eupithecia phoeniceata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Eupithecia phoeniceata
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Eupithecia phoeniceata
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Eupithecia phoeniceata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Eupithecia phoeniceata
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Eupithecia phoeniceata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Eupithecia phoeniceata
Eupithecia phoeniceata
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 - Eupithecia phoeniceata – 15 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 25/09/2025 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45662355 |
| Sandiacre Garden | SK43T | 06/09/2025 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48438843 |
| Sandiacre, Derbyshire | SK43T | 06/09/2025 | 1 | adult | Ann Wood | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC49304579 |
| Norton Lees, Sheffield | SK38L | 06/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Mella, Pete | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45154789 |
| Belper, Derbyshire | SK34N | 08/10/2024 | 1 | adult | Newcombe, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39211169 |
| Sandiacre Garden | SK43T | 02/09/2024 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41566892 |
| Ilkeston, Derbyshire | SK44K | 29/08/2024 | 1 | adult | Hobby, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38375588 |
| Lower Cromford Garden | SK25Y | 11/09/2023 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34567773 |
| Sandiacre | SK43T | 10/09/2023 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34667698 |
| Havercroft Road | SK38L | 01/09/2023 | 1 | Adult | Tait, Malcolm | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36369232 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 17/08/2023 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48401422 |
| SK | SK22V | 02/10/2022 | 1 | adult | Peach, Keith | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40997703 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 02/09/2022 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38447828 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 13/08/2022 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38447816 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 20/09/2021 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38546220 |