I ran my 20W Actinic moth trap in my garden at Melbourne, South Derbyshire overnight on 15th August 2026 – Results as follows: Saturday, 15 Aug 2026 Observer/s: Tony DavisonWeather: Clear | Temp: 14°CLocation: Melbourne (Derbyshire) , EnglandTrap: Skinner | Light: ActinicHabitat: GardenTotal: 84 moths of 34 species ID Checklist Scientific Name Common Name Qty NFY NFL 17970 25.001 BF450 Scythropia crataegella Hawthorn Moth 1
In recent months there have been six new micro moth additions and two new macro moths additions to the Derbyshire Moth List, taking the total number of species recorded in VC57 Derbyshire to 1,529 ( 598 macro and 931 micro). During July micros added were 17th June 2026 Cochylidia rupicola – Cromford Canal; 9th July
I ran my 20W actinic moth trap from my garden in Melbourne overnight on 12th August 2026 – results were as follows: Wednesday, 12 Aug 2026 Observer/s: Tony DavisonWeather: Clear | Temp: 20°CLocation: Melbourne (Derbyshire) , EnglandTrap: Skinner | Light: ActinicHabitat: GardenTotal: 328 moths of 71 species ID Checklist Scientific Name Common Name Qty NFY NFL 17930 12.033 BF247 Tinea trinotella Triple-spotted Nest Moth 1
I ran my 20W actinic Skinner Trap from my garden in Melbourne, Derbyshire overnight on 9th August 2026. Results are as per list below: Sunday, 09 Aug 2026 Observer/s: Tony DavisonWeather: Cloudy | Temp: 12°CLocation: Melbourne (Derbyshire) , EnglandTrap: Skinner | Light: ActinicHabitat: GardenTotal: 126 moths of 56 species ID Checklist Scientific Name Common Name Qty NFY NFL 17873 16.001 BF424 Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine
Cydia amplana became the 930th species of micro moth for VC57 Derbyshire, when one was attracted to MV light in a Sandiacre garden light trap. Emily Milnes recorded the moth on 9th August whilst emptying the over-night trap. I predicted this moth would arrive in Derbyshire only a few weeks ago. Emily kindly invited me
I ran my 20W actinic moth trap overnight on 7th August from my Melbourne garden. Results as follows: – ID Checklist Scientific Name Common Name Qty NFY NFL 17801 3.001 BF0015 Triodia sylvina Orange Swift 1 Y N 17805 16.001 BF424 Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine 3 N N 17814 16.005 BF428 Yponomeuta rorrella Willow Ermine
I ran my Melbourne 20W garden light trap overnight on 27th July 2026. Results as follows in no particular order – Pyrausta aurata (Mint Moth) (8); Pleuroptya ruralis (Mother of Pearl (2); Chrysotuechia culmella (2); Lesser Broard-bordered Yellow Underwing (5); Tree-Lichen Beauty (2) (lifer and NFG); Willow Beauty (3); Flame Shoulder (3); Straw Dot (2)
I ran my 20W Actinic overnight on 24th July in my Melbourne garden – results as follows in no particular order – Light Brown Apple Moth 1; Mint Moth 3, Chrysoteuchia culmella 3, Small Dusty Wave 1, Poplar Hawk-moth 1, Least Yellow Underwing 1, Large Yellow Underwing 2, Marbled Minor agg, Pale Mottled Willow 1,
I ran my 20W actinic light from my garden in Melbourne overnight on 28th June 2026. Results are as follows in no particular order – Riband Wave (12); Swallow-tailed Moth (2); Large Yellow Underwing (1); Pine Hawk-moth (1); Elephant Hawk-moth (1); Least Carpet (1); Dusky Sallow (1); Common Footman (7); Scalloped Oak (2); Uncertain-Rustic agg
During our first Moth Survey at Calke Park, Explorer, NT on Thursday 18th June 2026, our team of recorders, Graham Finch and Sean Browne, recorded a total of 840 moths of 149 species. Whilst processing the final micro moths, two new species for VC57 Derbyshire were discovered and identified by Gen Det examination performed by
I ran my 20w actinic moth trap overnight on 20th June 2026 in my Melbourne garden – results are as follows in no particular order – Large Yellow Underwing (4); Riband Wave (7); Willow Beauty (8); Chrystoteuchia culmella (Common Grass Moth) (1); Crambus pasquella (White-banded Grass Moth) (8); Short-cloaked Moth (6); Scarce Footman (1); Common Footman
Overnight on 15th June 2026 Dave Evans was moth trapping at Darwin Forest, near Matlock. Whilst processing the moth trap on the morning of 16th June 2026, Dave discovered a new micro moth species for VC57 Derbyshire, Cydia conicolana (Pine Nut Moth). The moth is known as a local and nationally scarce resident across parts
A first record for VC57 Derbyshire of Pammene obscurana (Birch Catkin Tortrix) was discovered by Steve Orridge in his Buxton garden moth trap, whilst using the TIP pheromone lure on 25/5/2026 The species is a CAT4 which means it can only be positively identified by scientific examination. The specimen was identified by Gen Det analysis
During late May there was an unprecedented influx of migrant moths into Britain. The influx comprised of a wide range of species primarily Striped Hawk-moth, Small Mottled Willow, Bordered Straw and Eastern Bordered Straw to name a few. This paved the way for Derbyshire “moth-ers” to be in with a chance of recording one or
I ran my 20 actinic moth trap from my garden in Melbourne, Derbyshire overnight. Results are, in no particular order, as follows – Star moth was a Small Marbled (5th record for Derbyshire, (with another trapped in Belper this am); Varied Coronet; Silver Y (2); Epiphyas Postvittana (Light Brown Apple Moth); Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth)
News broke today of a rather special species of Hawk-moth that has arrived in large numbers across Britain during the recent hot weather that has moved up from North Africa. I was wondering when Derbyshire would get one. William Grange was the fortunate moth recorder, he recorded a Striped Hawk-moth that had been attracted to
I ran my 20W Actinic moth trap from my garden in Melbourne overnight on 26th May, results are as follows in no particular order – Common Swift – female (1); Buff-tip (1); Small Elephant Hawk-moth (1); Marbled Minor agg (3); Middle-barred Minor (3); Ruby Tiger (2); Vine’s Rustic (4); Shuttle-shaped Dart (1); Heart and Dart
I ran my 20W actinic moth trap in my garden in Melbourne from 21:30hrs to mid-night on 24th May 2026. The results in no particular order were as follows – Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth) (4);Epiphyas postvittana (6); Mint Moth; Heart and Dart; Iron Prominent; Pale Tussock; Common Pug; Brindled Pug (2) Common Wainscot; Turnip Moth;
I ran my 20W Actinic Moth Trap overnight on 22nd May in my Melbourne garden – Results were in no particular order – Brimstone Moth (2); Epiphyas postvittana (Light Brown Apple Moth) (7), Common Pug (3), Lime-speck Pug (2), Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth( (3), Shuttle-shaped Dart (6), Flame Shoulder (2); Heart and Dart (3), Vine’s
News broke across the Derbyshire moth-ing media on 23rd May 2026 when one of our recording team members posted a photograph of what he thought was Phtheochroa schreibersiana (Gold Cloak) a really rare species of Tortrix. Dave Newcombe, from Belper, had trapped a single individual overnight on 22nd May in his garden MV Light trap
May has been a particularly cold month with overnight temperatures fluctuating between 5℃ – 8℃ on most nights, which of course has lead to much reduced moth trapping and numbers of moths being recorded. I put my 20w Actinic out for the first time in May and recorded only two moths between 21:45 and 23:45
