– click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Migrant
– easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.A first record for VC57 and Derbyshire was on 7th May 1974 per DaNES Historical data, then one in Chesterfield 26th July 2019. A third individual was photographed during the late evening on a wall in Allenton, Derby on 18th August 2024 by Joe Goddard. Unfortunately the moth flew off before it could be contained. Since 1995 small colonies have existed in London, where an attempt was made by DEFRA to eradicate it, however small populations now exist in the south east of England. The species spreads by the tiny larvae being dispersed by wind. Most reports of single individuals refer to males, as the female is large and very cumbersome and cannot fly well. The 4th record (3rd adult) for Derbyshire was from Littleover 1/8/2025.
Forewing: M 20-24mm. F 31-35mm
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2019 - 2025) | Immatures: (between 1974 - 1974)
Distribution Map for Lymantria dispar
↳ from 2026+
↳ 2 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 2 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 – Lymantria dispar
⚠️ 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:
Lymantria dispar
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Lymantria dispar
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Lymantria dispar
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Lymantria dispar
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Lymantria dispar
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Lymantria dispar
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Lymantria dispar
Lymantria dispar
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 - Lymantria dispar – 4 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Littleover, Derby | SK33G | 01/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44189563 |
| Bemrose | SK33R | 18/08/2024 | 1 | adult | Joe Goddard Sam Goddard | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38018209 |
| Highland Rd, New Whittington, Chesterfield | SK37X | 26/07/2019 | 1 | adult | EVANS, Mr T. | Danes_2019-2021 | 1214 |
| Trowell (Mbridge), Ilkeston (site not precise) | SK43Z | 07/05/1974 | 1 | Larvae | T. Duro | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001OIIFE |