Derbyshire Moth News

There are huge gaps in the knowledge of leaf-mines in Derbyshire and there are plenty of opportunities to discover new locations and new leaf-mines for the vice-county. I’m gradually gaining more of an interest in this fascinating side of moths. There is also a new language to learn, such as frass, tenanted and un-tenanted, epidermal […]

There have been two new and confirmed species of moth for Derbyshire and VC57 during this week commencing 6th October 2025. First of all a Macro Moth, Dotted Border Wave which was recorded from a garden moth trap at Dronfield Woodhouse on 7th August 2020 by Andrew Williamson. It was discovered whilst I was verifying

The September 2025 Moth News for Derbyshire features all the Derbyshire moth highlights during the month, a new species of Leaf Miner Phyllocnistis xenia, a feature on the DaNES Open Day and a feature on the NBN Awards, as the Derbyshire Moth Recording Team are finalists, plus lots more.

The leaf mine of Phyllocnistis xenia (Kent Maze-miner) has been discovered by Marion Bryce on the Erewash Canal on 17th September 2025. This is a first record for the VC57 Derbyshire of this species that was first discovered in Britain during 1974 from East Kent. The moth has been expanding its range progressively northwards. The

The August 2025 Moth News Bulletin features all the Derbyshire moth highlights during the month, a new species Evergestis extimalis, an ID feature on Campion v Lychnis, latest migrants and much more.

Finalists of the NBN Group Award 2025 During January 2025, the National Biodiversity Network Trust opened their 2025 Awards for Wildlife Recording. The Joint Derbyshire Moths Verification and Recording Team decided to put forward our application for the Group Award section. Out of a total of 45 nominations, 28 individuals and organisations were shortlisted. On

Mid August saw a number of rare migrants recorded in Derbyshire. An influx of Scrobipalpa oceelata (Beet Moth) during the month,  the 3rd and 4th records of Ni Moth, one Allestree 15th (Stephen Plant) and one 20th Cromford (Clive Ashton). A Dark Sword-grass 20th Belper (Dave Evans), Bordered Straw 18th Belper (Dave Newcombe), Palpita Vitrealis

Sam Goddard discovered the Leaf Mines of Phyllonorycter companella (Poplar Leaf-miner) on White Polar at Alvaston Park, Derby on 18th August 2025. This find represents a first record of this species for VC57 Derbyshire of this Nationally Scarce A species. 

Nikki Mahadevan recorded a new micro moth for the VC57 Derbyshire recording area overnight on 13th August 2025. An adult Evergestis extimalis (Marbled Yellow Pearl) was attracted to her garden light trap at Shirland. This is a species that seems to be confined to certain areas of the south and south east of England, stretching

The July 2025 Moth News Bulletin features all the Derbyshire moth highlights during the month, with four county first records (3 micros & 1 Macro). A bumper month of moth-ing to say the least.

The third record of an adult Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) was discovered by Adrian Watson at Littleover, Derby, when he emptied his overnight moth trap on 1st/2nd August 2025.

Christian Heintzen has put together this fantastic plate showing the amazing range of patterns, markings and colours of the July Highflier – Hydriomena furcata , making it one, if not, the most variable of moth species. On 14th July he recorded 137 from his moth traps in Glossop providing him with the ideal opportunity to

The first record of Dark Crimson Underwing for VC57 Derbyshire was recorded by Nikki Mahadevan, when she trapped one in her Shirland garden on 11th August 2023. It was a remarkable record of a species that is confined to the New Forest, so the likely hood of it being a wandering migrant was highly likely.

 An exciting new species for VC57 Derbyshire,  when Dave Evans tentatively identified Dichomeris alacella in his overnight mv light trap on 10th July 2025 in Belper. Due to the difficulties involved with the ID, Dave got in touch with Stephen Palmer, from the Gelechiid Recording Scheme, and put forward his thoughts on his identification. Stephen

Whilst moth trapping at Wildboar Clough, Longdendale on 8th/9th July 22025, Christian Heintzen record two individuals of the micro moth, Monochroa cytisella, representing a new species for VC57 Derbyshire. Strange that this moth has not been recorded before, as it is supposed to be widespread where the food plant, bracken occurs, and there seems to

A new species of micro moth for VC57 Derbyshire was recorded on 30th June 2025.  Dave Evans found Argyresthia arceuthina  (White-headed Tip Moth) in his huge haul of moths whist trapping at Darwin Forest, Matlock. This represents the 899th species of micro moth for VC57 Derbyshire. Dave did amazingly well to find this tiny little

A new species of macro moth for VC57 Derbyshire was brought to my attention via the recorder. Upon investigation on iRecorder the data had been processed by another person outside of our Verification team. The moth concerned was a Kent Black Arches that had been trapped at Drakelow Reserve (VC57 and not the Staffordshire side)

A second record of Brindled White Spot was trapped overnight on 3rd July 2025 at Darwin Forest, Matlock by Dave Evans. Hot on the heals of the first record which was from Rosliston Forest, 17th May 2024.

The June 2025 Moth News Bulletin features all the Derbyshire moth highlights during the month, with two first records of micros and a new species of macro moth for the VC57 recording area and a list of all the 35 records of migrants that were recorded in the county during June – A bumper month

A Small Marbled (Eublemma parva) was recorded in a garden moth trap at Matlock, by Dan Martin, overnight on 27th June 2025. This represents the first record for VC57 and Derbyshire of this migrant from Southern Europe. The species is especially rare inland, but is frequently recorded at UK coastal sites during times of high