This month’s moth of the month is a micro and one that hasn’t been recorded in Derbyshire since 2011. Semioscopis avellanella (Early Diviner) was first recorded in VC57 Derbyshire on 11th March 2011, when one was attracted to MV light at Shiningcliffe Wood, Ambergate, (extract from DaNES Journal 169, 2019 page 48).
It is a fairly easy species to identify. It is distinctively patterned, with the forewing being a light grey, finely speckled blackish with prominent longitudinal black streaks running from the wing base, then branching off and bending towards the costa.
Clive Ashton decided to run a trapping session at Bow Wood near Cromford on 23rd March 2026, and not a huge distance from Shiningcliffe Woods. Amongst other species, such as Brindled Pug (10), Early Tooth-striped (5) and a Red Chestnut, to name a few, Clive also recorded three Semioscopis avellanella, the first record for Derbyshire in 15 years. The re-discovery of this species would indicate that it is most likely to still be present in the county, maybe in small colonies, in the ancient Birch woodlands along the Derwent Valley.
