Blossom Underwing - 3rd April 2025 - Cromford - Clive Ashton
73.243 BF2183  – Blossom Underwing  – Orthosia miniosa  – ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Adult Macro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Good photographs maybe required – Can be confused with other species      
PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

Brown –  Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant    
Taxonomy:   Macro  >>.  >>  Noctuidae  >> Hadeninae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Small Quaker; Common Quaker
ID pointers: The hindwing is pinkish white, and shows up brightly at night around the moths trap. This feature easily distinguishes the species from other related Orthosia. The upper-wing is a warm sandy or pinkish brown colour. The central band is usually a deeper shade.
Distribution:  (First record: 2 April 2021 at Swadlincote )  –  (Last record: 26 April 2025 at Cromford )  –  A new species for the county and for the VC57. The late Dave Budworth, who was the county moth recorder at the time, recorded a single specimen to his garden light trap at Swadlincote on 2 April 2021. It is one of the less common of the spring macro moths, being quite scarce away from southern England and Wales. This record was discovered whilst the recording team were verifying outstanding Derbyshire moth records.The 2nd VC57 record was from Cromford 3/4/2025 by Clive Ashton. The 3rd record also came from Cromford on 26th April 2025 by Clive Ashton.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: March /  April –  On the wing March – late April Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Clive Ashton  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 13 January 2026 by TD ***
Wingspan: 31-36mm
Forewing: 15-17mm
Food Plant: Oak (Quercus).
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 2021
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford

Selected Images: 

Cromford 2nd record for VC57 – 3/4/2025 – Clive Ashton© / Cromford 3rd record 26/4/25 Clive Ashton©



Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2021 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Orthosia miniosa

Found 3 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 3 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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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 – Orthosia miniosa

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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.

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Monthly Records By Year: Orthosia miniosa
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Orthosia miniosa
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )

First/Last Recorded Dates: Orthosia miniosa
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

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Recordings By Year: Orthosia miniosa
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Orthosia miniosa
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Orthosia miniosa
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Orthosia miniosa

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 - Orthosia miniosa – 3 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageRecorderSourceRecordKey
upper cromford gardenSK25Y26/04/20251adultAshton, Clivevc57_irecords_extractiBRC41188078
upper cromford gardenSK25Y03/04/20251adultAshton, Clivevc57_irecords_extractiBRC40662579
Wood Lane, Newhall, SwadlincoteSK22V02/04/20211adultBUDWORTH, Mr D.Danes_2019-2021237

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