Identification Tips

Phil Sterling, in association with Butterfly Conservation, has produced 4 (approx.) one-hour long seminars giving valuable identification tips and much background information on the species mentioned.

Moth species recorded in the East Midlands Region

Mick Ball, moth officer for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, has prepared a complete list of the macro moths recorded in Derbyshire over the 30 years up to 2018. The table also gives a guide to the status of each species. Download the pdf file here

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The following table represents species typically recorded in the East Midlands Region.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Abraxas sylvata	Clouded Magpie
Abrostola triplasia	Dark Spectacle
Acasis viretata	Yellow-barred Brindle
Acleris forsskaleana
Acleris holmiana
Acleris logiana
Acleris lorquiniana
Acronicta alni	Alder Moth
Acronicta leporina	Miller
Actebia praecox	Portland Moth
Adela reaumurella
Adscita geryon	Cistus Forester
Adscita statices	Forester
Aethes cnicana
Aethes piercei
Aethes smeathmanniana
Agapeta zoegana
Agonopterix propinquella
Agriphila latistria
Agriphila straminella
Agrotis cinerea	Light Feathered Rustic
Agrotis clavis	Heart & Club
Agrotis vestigialis	Archer's Dart
Amphipyra berbera subsp. svenssoni	Svensson's Copper Underwing
Amphipyra pyramidea	Copper Underwing
Anaplectoides prasina	Green Arches
Ancylis achatana
Ancylis badiana
Anticollix sparsata	Dentated Pug
Antitype chi	Grey Chi
Apamea anceps	Large Nutmeg
Apamea oblonga	Crescent Striped
Apamea ophiogramma	Double Lobed
Apamea scolopacina	Slender Brindle
Apamea sublustris	Reddish Light Arches
Apeira syringaria	Lilac Beauty
Aphelia unitana
Aphomia zelleri
Aplocera efformata	Lesser Treble-bar
Aplocera plagiata	Treble-bar
Aporophyla lutulenta	Deep-brown Dart
Aporophyla nigra	Black Rustic
Apotomis lineana
Archanara dissoluta	Brown-veined Wainscot
Archiearis notha	Light Orange Underwing
Arenostola phragmitidis	Fen Wainscot
Argyresthia retinella
Argyresthia sorbiella
Atolmis rubricollis	Red-necked Footman
Autographa bractea	Gold Spangle
Autographa gamma	Silver Y
Batrachedra pinicolella
Bembecia ichneumoniformis	Six-belted Clearwing
Biston strataria	Oak Beauty
Brachionycha sphinx
Brachylomia viminalis	Minor Shoulder-knot
Cacoecimorpha pronubana	Carnation Tortrix
Callistege mi	Mother Shipton
Caloptilia betulicola
Caloptilia rufipennella
Caryocolum tricolorella
Cataclysta lemnata	Small China-mark
Catarhoe rubidata	Ruddy Carpet
Celaena haworthii	Haworth's Minor
Celaena leucostigma	Crescent
Celypha striana
Cepphis advenaria	Little Thorn
Cerastis leucographa	White-marked
Charissa obscurata	Annulet
Chloroclysta miata	Autumn Green Carpet
Chloroclysta siterata	Red-green Carpet
Chortodes extrema	Concolorous
Chortodes fluxa	Mere Wainscot
Chortodes pygmina	Small Wainscot
Coleophora frischella	Small Clover Case-Bearer
Coleophora serratella
Coleophora sylvaticella
Colocasia coryli	Nut-tree Tussock
Comibaena bajularia	Blotched Emerald
Commophila aeneana
Cosmia affinis	Lesser-spotted Pinion
Cossus cossus	Goat Moth
Crambus uliginosellus
Craniophora ligustri	Coronet
Cucullia absinthii	Wormwood
Cucullia chamomillae	Chamomile Shark
Cybosia mesomella	Four-dotted Footman
Cyclophora albipunctata	Birch Mocha
Cyclophora linearia	Clay Triple-lines
Cyclophora punctaria	Maiden's Blush
Cymatophorima diluta subsp. hartwiegi	Oak Lutestring
Dahlica inconspicuella	Lesser Lichen Case-bearer
Dasypolia templi	Brindled Ochre
Deilephila elpenor	Elephant Hawk-moth
Deilephila porcellus	Small Elephant Hawk-moth
Deileptenia ribeata	Satin Beauty
Deltote uncula	Silver Hook
Diacrisia sannio	Clouded Buff
Diarsia dahlii	Barred Chestnut
Diarsia florida	Fen Square-spot
Dichonia aprilina	Merveille Du Jour
Dichrorampha gueneeana
Dioryctria abietella
Discoloxia blomeri	Blomer's Rivulet
Ditula angustiorana	Red-barred Tortrix
Donacaula forficella
Donacaula mucronellus
Drepana falcataria	Pebble Hook-tip
Drymonia dodonaea	Marbled Brown
Drymonia ruficornis	Lunar Marbled Brown
Dryobotodes eremita	Brindled Green
Dypterygia scabriuscula	Bird's Wing
Dyscia fagaria	Grey Scalloped Bar
Earias clorana	Cream-bordered Green Pea
Ectoedemia atricollis
Ectropis crepuscularia	Small Engrailed
Eilema complana	Scarce Footman
Eilema depressa	Buff Footman
Eilema griseola	Dingy Footman
Eilema lurideola	Common Footman
Elachista littoricola
Elachista regificella
Elachista revinctella
Elophila nymphaeata	Brown China-mark
Enargia paleacea	Angle-striped Sallow
Endothenia gentianaeana
Endothenia quadrimaculana
Ennomos erosaria	September Thorn
Ennomos quercinaria	August Thorn
Entephria caesiata	Grey Mountain Carpet
Epiblema foenella
Epiblema rosaecolana
Epinotia demarniana
Epinotia nisella
Epione repandaria	Bordered Beauty
Epirrhoe tristata	Small Argent & Sable
Epirrita filigrammaria	Small Autumnal Moth
Eremobia ochroleuca	Dusky Sallow
Eriogaster lanestris	Small Eggar
Esperia oliviella
Ethmia dodecea
Ethmia quadrillella
Euchoeca nebulata	Dingy Shell
Euclidia glyphica	Burnet Companion
Eucosma pupillana
Eugnorisma glareosa subsp. glareosa
Euhyponomeuta stannella
Eupithecia absinthiata form goosensiata	Ling Pug
Eupithecia dodoneata	Oak-tree Pug
Eupithecia fraxinata	Ash Pug
Eupithecia haworthiata	Haworth's Pug
Eupithecia indigata	Ochreous Pug
Eupithecia insigniata	Pinion-spotted Pug
Eupithecia inturbata	Maple Pug
Eupithecia lariciata	Larch Pug
Eupithecia pimpinellata	Pimpinel Pug
Eupithecia plumbeolata	Lead-coloured Pug
Eupithecia pygmaeata	Marsh Pug
Eupithecia satyrata	Satyr Pug
Eupithecia subfuscata	Grey Pug
Eupithecia tantillaria	Dwarf Pug
Eupithecia tenuiata	Slender Pug
Eupithecia tripunctaria	White-spotted Pug
Eupithecia trisignaria	Triple-spotted Pug
Eupithecia valerianata	Valerian Pug
Eupithecia venosata	Netted Pug
Eupithecia virgaureata	Golden-rod Pug
Euproctis chrysorrhoea	Brown-tail
Euxoa cursoria	Coast Dart
Euxoa tritici	White-line Dart
Evergestis pallidata
Falcaria lacertinaria	Scalloped Hook-tip
Furcula bicuspis	Alder Kitten
Furcula bifida	Poplar Kitten
Furcula furcula	Sallow Kitten
Gastropacha quercifolia	Lappet
Geometra papilionaria	Large Emerald
Grapholita compositella
Gynnidomorpha alismana
Gypsonoma dealbana
Hadena confusa	Marbled Coronet
Hadena perplexa	Tawny Shears
Hedya nubiferana	Marbled Orchard Tortrix
Hedya salicella
Heliophobus reticulata	Bordered Gothic
Hemaris fuciformis	Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemistola chrysoprasaria	Small Emerald
Hepialus fusconebulosa	Map-winged Swift
Hepialus hecta	Gold Swift
Homoeosoma sinuella
Horisme tersata	Fern
Horisme vitalbata	Small Waved Umber
Hydraecia petasitis	Butterbur
Hydrelia flammeolaria	Small Yellow Wave
Hydrelia sylvata	Waved Carpet
Hydriomena ruberata	Ruddy Highflyer
Hypena crassalis	Beautiful Snout
Hypena rostralis	Buttoned Snout
Hypomecis roboraria	Great Oak Beauty
Idaea emarginata	Small Scallop
Idaea fuscovenosa	Dwarf Cream Wave
Idaea rusticata subsp. atrosignaria	Least Carpet
Idaea straminata	Plain Wave
Idaea subsericeata	Satin Wave
Idaea sylvestraria	Dotted Border Wave
Ipimorpha retusa	Double Kidney
Ipimorpha subtusa	Olive
Jodis lactearia	Little Emerald
Lacanobia contigua	Beautiful Brocade
Lacanobia suasa	Dog's Tooth
Lacanobia w-latinum	Light Brocade
Lampropteryx suffumata	Water Carpet
Larentia clavaria	Mallow
Lasiocampa quercus	Oak Eggar
Laspeyria flexula	Beautiful Hook-tip
Leucoma salicis	White Satin Moth
Leucoptera malifoliella	Pear Leaf Blister Moth
Ligdia adustata	Scorched Carpet
Lithomoia solidaginis	Golden-rod Brindle
Lithosia quadra	Four-spotted Footman
Lobophora halterata	Seraphim
Lycophotia porphyrea	True Lover's Knot
Lygephila pastinum	Blackneck
Lymantria monacha	Black Arches
Macaria alternata	Sharp-angled Peacock
Macrothylacia rubi	Fox Moth
Melanthia procellata	Pretty Chalk Carpet
Mesoleuca albicillata	Beautiful Carpet
Mompha propinquella
Mompha terminella
Monochroa lucidella
Monopis weaverella
Mormo maura	Old Lady
Morophaga choragella
Myelois circumvoluta	Thistle Ermine
Mythimna flammea	Flame Wainscot
Mythimna pudorina	Striped Wainscot
Mythimna straminea	Southern Wainscot
Nebula salicata subsp. latentaria	Striped Twin-spot Carpet
Nematopogon schwarziellus
Noctua interjecta subsp. caliginosa	Least Yellow Underwing
Noctua orbona	Lunar Yellow Underwing
Nola confusalis	Least Black Arches
Nonagria typhae	Bulrush Wainscot
Notodonta dromedarius	Iron Prominent
Nudaria mundana	Muslin Footman
Nycteola revayana	Oak Nycteoline
Ochsenheimeria vacculella	Cereal Stem Moth
Odezia atrata	Chimney Sweep
Odontosia carmelita	Scarce Prominent
Oligia versicolor	Rufous Minor
Orgyia recens	Scarce Vapourer
Orthonama vittata	Oblique Carpet
Orthosia munda	Twin-spotted Quaker
Orthosia opima	Northern Drab
Orthosia populeti	Lead-coloured Drab
Pachycnemia hippocastanaria	Horse Chestnut
Pammene aurana
Pancalia leuwenhoekella
Pandemis dumetana
Panemeria tenebrata	Small Yellow Underwing
Papestra biren	Glaucous Shears
Paradarisa consonaria	Square Spot
Parasemia plantaginis	Wood Tiger
Parastichtis suspecta	Suspected
Parastichtis ypsillon	Dingy Shears
Parectropis similaria	Brindled White-spot
Pechipogo strigilata	Common Fan-foot
Pelurga comitata	Dark Spinach
Perconia strigillaria	Grass Wave
Peridea anceps	Great Prominent
Perizoma albulata	Grass Rivulet
Perizoma bifaciata	Barred Rivulet
Perizoma sagittata	Marsh Carpet
Philedone gerningana
Philereme transversata	Dark Umber
Philereme vetulata	Brown Scallop
Phtheochroa rugosana
Phyllonorycter roboris
Plagodis dolabraria	Scorched Wing
Plagodis pulveraria	Barred Umber
Platyptilia pallidactyla
Platytes alpinella
Plemyria rubiginata	Blue-bordered Carpet
Pleuroptya ruralis	Mother of Pearl
Plusia festucae	Gold Spot
Polia bombycina	Pale Shining Brown
Polia trimaculosa	Silvery Arches
Polymixis lichenea subsp. lichenea	Feathered Ranunculus
Polyploca ridens	Frosted Green
Psamathocrita argentella
Pseudoips prasinana	Green Silver-lines
Pseudopanthera macularia	Speckled Yellow
Pseudotelphusa scalella
Pseudoterpna pruinata subsp. atropunctaria	Grass Emerald
Ptilodon cucullina	Maple Prominent
Ptycholomoides aeriferanus
Pyrausta aurata
Pyrrhia umbra	Bordered Sallow
Rheumaptera cervinalis	Scarce Tissue
Rheumaptera hastata	Argent & Sable
Rheumaptera undulata	Scallop Shell
Rhizedra lutosa	Large Wainscot
Rhyacia simulans	Dotted Rustic
Rivula sericealis	Straw Dot
Saturnia pavonia	Emperor Moth
Schrankia costaestrigalis	Pinion-streaked Snout
Schrankia taenialis	White-line Snout
Scopula floslactata	Cream Wave
Scopula imitaria	Small Blood-vein
Scopula immutata	Lesser Cream Wave
Scopula ornata	Lace Border
Scopula ternata	Smoky Wave
Scotopteryx bipunctaria subsp. cretata	Chalk Carpet
Scotopteryx chenopodiata	Shaded Broad-bar
Scotopteryx mucronata	Lead Belle
Selenia lunularia	Lunar Thorn
Selenia tetralunaria	Purple Thorn
Sesia bembeciformis	Lunar Hornet Moth
Sideridis albicolon	White Colon
Sophronia semicostella
Spaelotis ravida	Stout Dart
Sphinx ligustri	Privet Hawk-moth
Spilosoma urticae	Water Ermine
Stauropus fagi	Lobster Moth
Stenolechia gemmella
Stigmella crataegella
Stigmella speciosa
Stilbia anomala	Anomalous
Synanthedon culiciformis	Large Red-belted Clearwing
Synanthedon myopaeformis	Red-belted Clearwing
Synanthedon tipuliformis	Currant Clearwing
Synanthedon vespiformis	Yellow-legged Clearwing
Syncopacma larseniella
Syngrapha interrogationis	Scarce Silver Y
Tethea ocularis subsp. octogesimea	Figure of Eighty
Tethea or	Poplar Lutestring
Thera firmata	Pine Carpet
Thera juniperata	Juniper Carpet
Thumatha senex	Round-winged Muslin
Triaxomera fulvimitrella
Trichiura crataegi	Pale Eggar
Trichophaga tapetzella	Tapestry Moth
Triphosa dubitata	Tissue
Tyria jacobaeae	Cinnabar
Tyta luctuosa	Four-spotted
Udea lutealis
Venusia cambrica	Welsh Wave
Watsonalla cultraria	Barred Hook-tip
Xanthia citrago	Orange Sallow
Xanthia gilvago	Dusky-lemon Sallow
Xanthorhoe biriviata	Balsam Carpet
Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata	Large Twin-spot Carpet
Xestia castanea	Neglected Rustic
Xestia ditrapezium	Triple-spotted Clay
Xestia rhomboidea	Square-spotted Clay
Xylena exsoleta	Sword-grass
Xylena vetusta	Red Sword-grass
Ypsolopha parenthesella
Zeuzera pyrina	Leopard Moth
Zygaena trifolii	Five-spot Burnet