– 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.ID pointers: Has a distinctive resting posture with its narrow forewings wrapped around its body. The ground colour is a dull grey-brown with a prominent orange oval and kidney marks.
Distribution: (First record: 1988 ) – (Last record: 16 August 2025 at Froggatt ) – A scarce immigrant to Derbyshire. Several trapped in August 2003 during high migrant activity and possibly only one previous record (1988). One recorded on 7th September 2024 at Darley Bridge, during a time of high migrant moth activity on the east coast of England. One trapped at Gnat Hole, Glossop 28/6/2025. One Kings Newton 27th July 2025.One Froggatt 16/8/2025
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Forewing: 13-14mm
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 1988
Last Recorded By – Bryan Barnacle
Last Recorded General Area – Froggatt
Selected Images: Darley Bridge 1st Sept 2024 – Stephen Moores© / Melbourne & Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Tony Davison© / Glossop (June 2025) Christian Heintzen© / Kimgs Newton (July2025) Tony Davison© / Froggatt 16/8/25 – Bryan Barnacle©
Image Gallery
Distribution Map for Spodoptera exigua
Found 28 records
↳ 6 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 21 from Before 2020
↳ 6 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 21 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 – Spodoptera exigua
⚠️ 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:
Spodoptera exigua
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Spodoptera exigua
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Spodoptera exigua
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: Spodoptera exigua
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Spodoptera exigua
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
CUSUM Analysis: Spodoptera exigua
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 19 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 2006, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2024, 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: Spodoptera exigua
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Spodoptera exigua
Spodoptera exigua
( 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 - Spodoptera exigua – 28 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parwich, Ashbourne DEQN, UK | SK15S | 18/08/2025 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 27/08/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Shirland - Hallfieldgate Lane | SK35Z | 29/08/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Glossop, Hague Street, Hay Meadow | SK09G | 25/07/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Mickleover garden | SK33C | 09/07/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Glossop, Gnat Hole Rough Fields | SK09L | 28/06/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Darley Bridge | SK26Q | 08/09/2024 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 24/09/2011 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 26/07/2008 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 23/06/2007 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley Dale | SK26R | 21/09/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Far Cross,Cavendish Park,Matlock | SK36A | 26/08/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 24/07/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 26/07/2006 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Far Cross,Cavendish Park,Matlock | SK36A | 29/07/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Ault Hucknall,Glapwell | SK46S | 05/09/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Melbourne, Derbyshire | SK32X | 24/08/2003 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 12/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 17/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 22/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Whitwell Wood (centre area), Whitwell, Worksop | SK57J | 23/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 12/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 17/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 22/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Spinney Hill,Melbourne | SK32X | 24/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Stevens Rd, Sandiacre | SK43T | 20/08/1995 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Sett Valley Trail, New Mills | SK08D | 07/09/1988 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| South Head Farm, Hayfield | SK08S | 17/09/1988 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |