Sword-grass       Satellite
73.209 BF2241  –  Noctuidae –  Xyleninae – Xylena vetusta – Red Sword-grass – (Hübner, 1813) Adult Macro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others –       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Macro   >>  Noctuidae  >> Xyleninae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: This moth has a distinctive habit of resting with wings folded around the body, looking like a piece of twig or wood. The diagnostic feature is the contrast between the straw-yellow leading half of the forewing with an orange red tint and the rich mahogany brown trailing half.
Distribution:  (Last record: 5 November 2024 at Buxton )  –  A rare species in Derbyshire. Up until 1986 there had only been 6 records and up to 2004, a further 9 reports, a further three records in 2007 and four more in 2009. Reported in small numbers most years from 2009. Most reported from the north west areas of the county indicating a resident population. Records from elsewhere may refer to immigrants.
Flight Period: March /  April /  May /  September /  October /  November /  –  On the wing September – November and reappearing March – May. Moth Activity: Nocturnal  Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Jane & Phil Lester, Simon Roddis, Christien Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 50-57mm
Forewing: 24-29mm Food Plant: Deciduous trees, shrubs, and low plants.
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Mark Cocker
Last Recorded General Area – Buxton
Selected Images:  Curbar, North Derbyshire (left) – Jane & Phil Lester©   /   Darley Dale (right), Derbyshire – Simon Roddis© / Glossop – 3/11/24 – Christian Heintzen©

Red Sword-grass - Noctuidae - Xylena vetusta
Red Sword-grass – Noctuidae – Xylena vetusta
Red Sword-grass - Noctuidae - Xylena vetusta
Red Sword-grass – Noctuidae – Xylena vetusta
Red Sword-grass - 3/11/24 - Glossop - Christien Heintzen
Red Sword-grass – 3/11/24 – Glossop – Christien Heintzen
Red Sword-grass - Noctuidae - Xylena vetusta
Red Sword-grass - Noctuidae - Xylena vetusta
Red Sword-grass - 3/11/24 - Glossop - Christien Heintzen


Image Gallery

No gallery images found for this moth.


Distribution Map for Xylena vetusta

Found 92 records
    ↳ 2 from After 2025
    ↳ 14 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 76 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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 – Xylena vetusta

⚠️ 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.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Xylena vetusta
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Xylena vetusta
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Xylena vetusta
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: Xylena vetusta
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Xylena vetusta
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%


CUSUM Analysis: Xylena vetusta
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 3 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 2008, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2007, 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: Xylena vetusta
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Xylena vetusta
( 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 - Xylena vetusta – 92 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S07/03/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S09/03/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Lightwood, Buxton SK, UKSK07M05/11/20241Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Glossop, Kidd Road FarmSK09L03/11/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F20/04/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Derbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G18/12/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Derbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G22/12/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F28/10/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I17/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Rydal Close, Dronfield Woodhouse, DronfieldSK37J14/07/20211adultDanes_2019-2021
HathersageSK28F09/11/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
The Mays, Malthouse Lane, FroggattSK27N23/10/20201adultDanes_2019-2021
Birch ValeSK08I01/05/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F17/04/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I11/04/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F30/03/20202adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F30/11/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F19/10/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I22/04/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I20/03/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Welbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T03/05/20181Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Buxton SK, UKSK07S04/04/20181Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I17/11/20171adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I21/04/20171adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I19/04/20171adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z18/03/20171adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z30/03/20171adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I30/10/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Parsley Hay (Peak Park Ranger Base)SK16L23/10/20161Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Birch ValeSK08I13/04/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch Barn, New Mills Rd, Birch ValeSK08I31/10/20151Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ladycroft AveSK07S16/11/20141adultvc57_irecords_extract
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X07/04/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Hillside, The Hillock, Curbur, CalverSK27M30/03/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Welbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T26/10/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Parkway, New MillsSK08D14/11/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ladycroft Ave,BuxtonSK07S03/11/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S03/11/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ladycroft Ave,BuxtonSK07S30/10/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D24/10/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D24/10/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S30/10/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Buxton SK, UKSK07S09/04/20111Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave,BuxtonSK07S08/04/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S08/04/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Littlewood,Barber Booth,EdaleSK18C25/04/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R19/03/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Maynard Arms,GrindlefordSK27P20/11/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D02/11/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D13/11/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D13/11/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R29/10/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
nr Derwent Arms,WhatstandwellSK35H29/10/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R14/10/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Buxton (Cote Heath Allotments - plot )SK07R30/04/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Newhaven Farm,NewhavenSK16Q07/12/20081Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D14/11/20081Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Over Haddon (Burton Farm), BakewellSK26D15/11/20082Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D03/11/20082Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D12/11/20084Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D03/11/20082Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D12/11/20084Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Fox Lane,Millthorpe,HolmesfieldSK37D14/11/20081Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Slagmill Plantation,Beeley MoorSK36E24/10/20084Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Conksbury Bridge, Over Haddon, BakewellSK26C13/10/20082Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Far Lane, Wilday Green, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37H05/11/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Far Lane, Wilday Green, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37H30/10/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Leash Fen,BaslowSK27X20/04/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R10/04/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Clough Wood,Darley DaleSK26K19/03/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
The Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R01/11/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Northwood,Darley DaleSK26S17/11/20021Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
School Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R25/10/20011Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Charlesworth St,Carr Vale,BolsoverSK46U07/08/19991Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Baslow (site not precise)SK27L12/11/19951Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
St Charles Close, HadfieldSK09D12/05/19951Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
St Charles Close, HadfieldSK09D12/05/19951Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C16/01/19881Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C16/01/19881Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C01/11/19872Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C01/11/19872Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C01/05/19861Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C01/05/19861Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C04/05/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C04/05/19851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C13/10/19841Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Johnnygate, Barlow, ChesterfieldSK37C13/10/19841Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Shipley Wood, Shipley ParkSK44L25/03/19831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Monk Wood, Unstone (site not precise)SK37N05/10/19511Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B04/10/19301Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B04/10/19301Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Bretby Park (site not precise)SK22W01/01/18851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Sword-grass       Satellite

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