Flying Tonight Early May (Week 18)

The following is a list of the 20 moths most commonly reported between 2011 and 2017 in week 18, early May, with the most common first.  A list of other species recorded in smaller numbers is included at the end. This data is taken from the county moth recorders database and has not been fully verified. For more information about each species please visit UK Moths website.

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Common name Taxon RES B&S Total number 2011 – 17 Distribution map & phenology, click to see larger images
Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 73.249 2190 419
Tawny Shears Hadena perplexa 73.286 2167 397
Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 73.325 2092 350
Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 73.244 2187 347
Light Feathered Rustic Agrotis cinerea 73.316 2084 217
Early Grey Xylocampa areola 73.069 2243 168
Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica 72.022 2063 124
Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata 70.226 1906 121
Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta 73.329 2102 120
Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 73.113 2306 82
Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata 70.156 1852 81
Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 73.242 2188 81
Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 70.141 1862 54
Dew Moth Setina irrorella 72.05 2036 52
Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis 73.095 2389 51
Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria 70.1 1776 47
Powdered Quaker Orthosia gracilis 73.247 2186 45
Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata 70.2 1883 34
Rustic Shoulder-knot Apamea sordens 73.158 2334 34
Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis 73.317 2089 32

Other species recorded in this week in smaller numbers (unverified data):

Common name Taxon RES B&S Total number 2011 – 17
Broad-barred White Hecatera bicolorata 73.279 2164 31
Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 73.245 2182 30
Red Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe spadicearia 70.051 1724 26
Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica 73.101 2380 19
Common Swift Korscheltellus lupulina 3.002 17 19
Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea 73.267 2160 19
Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula 71.027 2019 19
Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis 71.011 2015 19
Least Black Arches Nola confusalis 74.004 2078 18
Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae 72.031 2069 18
Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina 71.02 2011 18
Dark Sword-grass Agrotis ipsilon 73.327 2091 18
Knot Grass Acronicta rumicis 73.045 2289 18
Yellow Belle Aspitates ochrearia 70.294 1968 18
White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria 70.16 1835 17
White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda 72.02 2060 15
Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli 73.032 2425 15
Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum 73.319 2087 15
Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula 71.017 2007 14
Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata 70.183 1834 14
Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac 71.013 2003 14
Streamer Anticlea derivata 70.067 1747 13
Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae 73.274 2154 12
Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata 70.157 1853 12
Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa 73.336 2139 12
Oblique Striped Phibalapteryx virgata 70.039 1718 12
Speckled Yellow Pseudopanthera macularia 70.229 1909 11
Early Tooth-striped Trichopteryx carpinata 70.202 1881 11
Spectacle Abrostola tripartita 73.001 2450 10
Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 70.237 1917 10
Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix 72.001 2469 10
White-point Mythimna albipuncta 73.297 2194 9
Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria 70.257 1936 9
Chinese Character Cilix glaucata 65.007 1651 9
Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata 70.049 1728 9
Silver Y Autographa gamma 73.015 2441 9
Small White Wave Asthena albulata 70.111 1875 8
V-Pug Chloroclystis v-ata 70.142 1858 8
Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata 70.184 1819 8
Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria 70.248 1927 7
Dark / Grey Dagger Acronicta tridens/psi 73.0381 2284x 7
Mullein Cucullia verbasci 73.058 2221 6
Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata 70.173 1825 6
Maiden’s Blush Cyclophora punctaria 70.036 1680 5
Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda 73.25 2189 5
Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia gnoma 71.018 2006 5
Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda 72.015 2028 5
Vine’s Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua 73.099 2384 5
Great Prominent Peridea anceps 71.016 2005 5
Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata 70.097 1764 5
Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum 73.359 2126 5
Eyed Hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellata 69.002 1980 5
Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedarius 71.012 2000 5
Spruce Carpet Thera britannica 70.079 1769 4
Cream-spot Tiger Arctia villica 72.027 2058 4
Peppered Moth Biston betularia 70.252 1931 4
Currant Pug Eupithecia assimilata 70.182 1832 4
Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata 70.095 1760 4
Scorched Carpet Ligdia adustata 70.208 1888 4
Chestnut Conistra vaccinii 73.194 2258 4
Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum 69.01 1984 3
Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata 70.081 1768 3
Chamomile Shark Cucullia chamomillae 73.053 2214 3
Poplar Grey Subacronicta megacephala 73.046 2278 3
Bloxworth Snout Hypena obsitalis 72.006 2478 3
Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria 70.239 1919 3
Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata 70.218 1894 3
Common Wave Cabera exanthemata 70.278 1956 3
Winter Moth Operophtera brumata 70.106 1799 3
Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata 70.207 1887 3
Buff-tip Phalera bucephala 71.025 1994 3
Small Phoenix Ecliptopera silaceata 70.094 1759 2
Light Brocade Lacanobia w-latinum 73.263 2157 2
Dog’s Tooth Lacanobia suasa 73.266 2159 2
Fern Horisme tersata 70.127 1782 2
Small Dusty Wave Idaea seriata 70.008 1707 2
Flame Carpet Xanthorhoe designata 70.053 1722 2
Small Waved Umber Horisme vitalbata 70.126 1781 2
Pebble Hook-tip Drepana falcataria 65.005 1648 2
Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba 73.342 2107 2
Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata 70.151 1817 2
Dark Spectacle Abrostola triplasia 73.002 2449 2
Pine Beauty Panolis flammea 73.241 2179 2
Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus 69.017 1992 2
Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi 69.003 1981 2
Small Purple-barred Phytometra viridaria 72.067 2470 2
Dwarf Cream Wave Idaea fuscovenosa 70.006 1705 2
Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea 72.019 2061 2
Gem Nycterosea obstipata 70.047 1720 2
Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata 70.061 1738 2
Reed Dagger Simyra albovenosa 73.035 2290 2
Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria 70.255 1934 2
Common Heath Ematurga atomaria 70.275 1952 2
Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae 69.001 1979 2
Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata 70.24 1920 2
Seraphim Lobophora halterata 70.198 1879 2
Orange Footman Eilema sororcula 72.049 2043 1
Dot Moth Melanchra persicariae 73.27 2155 1
Mullein Wave Scopula marginepunctata 70.023 1689 1
Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecis punctinalis 70.268 1944 1
Treble Brown Spot Idaea trigeminata 70.012 1711 1
Pale Pinion Lithophane socia 73.201 2236 1
Freyer’s Pug Eupithecia intricata 70.176 1827 1
Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula 71.005 1997 1
Straw Dot Rivula sericealis 72.002 2474 1
Figure of Eighty Tethea ocularis 65.01 1654 1
Broom-tip Chesias rufata 70.196 1865 1
Scalloped Hook-tip Falcaria lacertinaria 65.001 1645 1
Pretty Chalk Carpet Melanthia procellata 70.128 1784 1
Northern Drab Orthosia opima 73.248 2184 1
Water Carpet Lampropteryx suffumata 70.103 1750 1
Muslin Footman Nudaria mundana 72.036 2038 1
Blood-vein Timandra comae 70.029 1682 1
Marbled Brown Drymonia dodonaea 71.01 2014 1
Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata 70.222 1902 1
Marbled Pug Eupithecia irriguata 70.17 1818 1
Cypress Carpet Thera cupressata 70.083 1771a 1
March Moth Alsophila aescularia 70.245 1663 1
Sycamore Acronicta aceris 73.039 2279 1
Peacock Moth Macaria notata 70.211 1889 1
Toadflax Brocade Calophasia lunula 73.059 2223 1
Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia 68.001 1643 1
Brindled Green Dryobotodes eremita 73.225 2248 1
Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis 73.012 2434 1
Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus 73.092 2387 1
Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana 74.009 2423 1
Dotted Chestnut Conistra rubiginea 73.197 2260 1
Clouded Brindle Apamea epomidion 73.155 2327 1
Lesser Treble-bar Aplocera efformata 70.193 1868 1
Engrailed Ectropis bistortata 70.27 1947 1
Light Emerald Campaea margaritaria 70.283 1961 1
Campion Sideridis rivularis 73.276 2166 1
Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria 70.258 1937 1
Miller Acronicta leporina 73.04 2280 1
Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens 73.291 2199 1
Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina 73.216 2318 1
Burnet Companion Euclidia glyphica 72.083 2463 1
Clay Fan-foot Paracolax tristalis 72.051 2494 1
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