Chestnuts, Sallows and Daggers 

Acronicinae

2256 Eupsilia transversa - Satellite

Status: Notable ... they have not been close to being an annual sighting here.

Habitat/Food plant: Woodland/Parkland ... the larvae feeds on various types of broadleaved tree and shrubs (Oaks, Hazel, Hawthorn, Blackthorn etc)  also the larvae of other moth species.

Broods/flight period: One generation, flying from September to April.

1999 - 2022 garden records: Only twelve records.  It took me ages before I recorded any here when I first started running the garden traps, though they did eventually show up more and more as time went on, becoming 'just about' annual after 2007 for a small run of years.

The annual catch rates have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 1.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 0.    2005 = 0.    2006 = 0.    2007 = 2.    2008 = 1.    2009 = 2.    2010 = 1.    2011 = 3.  

2012 = 1.    2013 = 1.    2014 = 0.    2015 = 0.    2016 = 0.    2017 = 0.    2018 = 0.    2019 = 0.    2020 = 1.   2021 = 0.    2022 = 1.   2023 = 0.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 3rd November 2009.

Latest date: 26th March 2008.

Peak count: Singles only.


2258 Conistra vaccinii - Chestnut

Status: Annual, though in very small numbers, until 2015 when numbers fell off the proverbial cliff.

Habitat/Food plant: Mainly broadleaved woodland but also in scrub and hedgerows. The larval food plants included Oak, Elm, Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Downy Birch etc.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from September till May, becoming active during milder periods of the winter.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Very few really ... amazingly few on reflection.

The annual catch rates have been:

1999 = 2.    2000 = 2.    2001 = 1.    2002 = 7.    2003 = 3.    2004 = 2.    2005 = 1.    2006 = 1.    2007 = 1.    2008 = 1.    2009 = 5.        2010 = 2.    2011 = 3.     2012 = 4.

2013 = 1.    2014 = 4.    2015 = 0.    2016 = 0.    2017 = 0.    2018 = 1.    2019 = 0.    2020 = 1.   2021 = 1.    2022 = 0.  2023 = 1.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 10th October 1999.

Latest date: 16th April 2006.

Peak count:  A maximum of only two in both 2002 and 2004.


2259 Conistra ligula - Dark Chestnut

Status: Annual in small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland and open country. The larval food plants included  Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Sallows, Oaks, Docks and Dandelions.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from October till March.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  A slight increase here over the years, though still fairly notable in most of them.

The annual catch rates have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 1.    2003 = 3.    2004 = 6.    2005 = 3.    2006 = 2.    2007 = 1.    2008 = 6.    2009 = 2.        2010 = 1.    2011 = 4.     2012 = 11.

2013 = 1.    2014 = 1.    2015 = 0.    2016 = 1.    2017 = 0.    2018 = 2.    2019 = 1.    2020 = 4.   2021 = 1.    2022 = 0.   2023 = 4.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 20th October 2005.

Latest date: 9th April 2009.

Peak count:  A maximum of only two moths in 2004.


2262 Agrochola circellaris - Brick

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, Parkland and Scrub. The larval food plants are Wych Elm, Aspen, Poplar and Ash.

Broods/flight period:  Single brooded, on the wing from September till November/December.

1999 - 2023 garden records:

The annual catch rates have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 1.    2002 = 4.    2003 = 3.    2004 = 4.    2005 = 3.    2006 = 0.    2007 = 0.    2008 = 3.    2009 = 4.        2010 = 4.    2011 = 1.   

2012 = 1.    2013 = 1.    2014 = 0.    2015 = 0.    2016 = 1.    2017 = 0.    2018 = 6.    2019 = 0.   2020 = 0.    2021 = 0.   2022 = 2.   2023 = 2.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 13th September 2002.

Latest date: 24th November 2003.

Peak count:  Two moths on three occasions, in 2001, 2010 and 2018.


2263 Agrochola lota - Red-line Quaker

Status: Increasing. Once a scarce moth here, now they are annual in small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: Woodland rides, scrub and hedgerows. The larval food plant are the catkins and leaves of Willows.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing from September into November.

1999 - 2023 garden records:

The annual catch rates have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 1.    2002 = 1.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 0.    2005 = 2.    2006 = 9.    2007 = 6.    2008 = 3.    2009 = 5.        2010 = 4.    2011 = 3.    2012 = 3.

2013 = 6.    2014 = 5.    2015 = 4.    2016 = 1.    2017 = 1.    2018 = 12.    2019 = 0.    2020 = 3.   2021 = 3.   2022 = 6.   2023 = 1.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 11th September 2001.

Latest date: 15th November 2008.

Peak count:  3 moths, one night in 2006 and 17th October 2022. 


2264 Agrochola macilenta - Yellow-line Quaker

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, scrub, hedgerows etc. The larval food plants are varied and included Oak, Poplar, Beech, Sallows and Hawthorn. 

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from September till November.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Only eight records here, in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2020.   

Earliest date: 13th October 2007.

Latest date: 12th November 2011.

Peak count: Singles only.


2267 Agrochola lychnidis - Beaded Chestnut

Above: Four variants ... there are a couple of other types too.

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, scrub, hedgerows, grasslands etc. The larval food plants include Buttercups, Chickweeds and Clovers when smaller, moving on to more woody plants such as Broadleaved Trees and particularly Hawthorn.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, mainly in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records:

The annual catch rates have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 2.    2001 = 2.    2002 = 4.    2003 = 5.    2004 = 5.    2005 = 9.    2006 = 1.    2007 = 0.    2008 = 2.    2009 = 5.        2010 = 4.    2011 = 5.    2012 = 1.

2013 = 4.    2014 = 3.    2015 = 1.    2016 = 2.    2017 = 4.    2018 = 1.    2019 = 8.    2020 = 12.   2021 = 12.   2022 = 34.   2023 = 24.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 18th September 2004.

Latest date:  2nd November 2014.

Peak count: Three on 6th October 2022, 10th October 2022 and 17th October 2022.  


2269 Atethmia centrago - Centre-barred Sallow

The far more common, yellow and orange form ... 

... and the far more unusual, dark orange and brown form. 

Status: Annual (until 2015) in very small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved wood and open places, the larval food plants in the buds of Ash trees.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in August and September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Almost always noteworthy here ... the annual totals being:

1999 = 1.    2000 = 1.    2001 = 4.    2002 = 0.    2003 = 5.    2004 = 5.    2005 = 4.    2006 = 9.    2007 = 2.    2008 = 1.    2009 = 2.        2010 = 2.    2011 = 1.     2012 = 3.

2013 = 8.    2014 = 3.    2015 = 0.    2016 = 4.    2017 = 4.    2018 = 10.    2019 = 1.    2020 = 5.   2021 = 6.    2022 = 10.   2023 = 29,  2024 = 

Earliest date: 21st August 2001.

Latest date: 9th October 2017.

Peak count: 3 moths, one night in 2013.


2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa - Lunar Underwing

Above: Three of the many variants.

Status: Common.

Habitat/Food plant: A range of grasslands. The larval food plants are various grasses.

Broods/flight period:  Single brooded, flying in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records: A fairly stable population here, quite often catches reaching into double figures.

Earliest date: 6th September 2006.

Latest date: 8th November 2004.

Peak count: 46 moths on 27th September 2018.


2271 Xanthia citrago - Orange Sallow

Status: Scarce.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, parkland etc. The larval food plant is Elm.

Broods/flight period:  Single brooded, flying in from August till early October.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Only seven records here, on 15/09/2003, 11/09/2008, 28/09/2009, 25/09/2011, 23/09/15, 02/09/2018, 16/09/2018 and 14/09/2020. 

Earliest date: 2nd September 2018.

Latest date: 28th September 2009.

Peak count: Singles only.



2272 Xanthia aurago - Barred Sallow

Status: Notable.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, hedgerows etc. The larval food plants are Field Maple and Beech.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Very up and down here ... the annual totals being:

1999 = 1.    2000 = 1.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 0.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 1.    2005 = 0.    2006 = 4.    2007 = 0.    2008 = 2.    2009 = 4.        2010 = 2.    2011 = 5.    2012 = 3.

2013 = 3.    2014 = 1.    2015 = 2.    2016 = 6.    2017 = 4.    2018 = 41.     2019 = 11.     2020 = 25.   2021 = 8.   2022 = 30.   2023 = 32.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 10th September 2004.

Latest date: 29th October 2022.

Peak count: A moth that shows up singularly usually, so 4 taken on 28th September 2018 then 6 on 11th October 2018 and 6 more on 12th October 2022 were all very high counts for here.


2273 Xanthia togata - Pink-barred Sallow

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: The larval food plants are the catkins of Sallows and Poplars.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records: A rarity until recently, when I started finding the occasional 'one' in the traps. The first record occurred on 8th October 2003 but after a gap of five more years I then took singles on 22/10/08, 19/10/11, 06/10/2013, 13/10/14, 10/10/22 and 25/09/23.  

Earliest date: 8th October 2003.

Latest date: 22nd October 2008.

Peak count: Singles only.


2274 Xanthia icteritia - Sallow

Above: extremes of the the two most common variants.

Status: Though pretty much still notable, showing signs of an increase here as time has moved on.

Habitat/Food plant: The catkins of Sallows and Poplars.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Showing signs of improvement ... the annual totals being:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 1.    2003 = 1.    2004 = 1.    2005 = 2.    2006 = 6.    2007 = 2.    2008 = 6.    2009 = 15.        2010 = 6.    2011 = 6.     2012 = 2.

2013 = 6.    2014 = 4.    2015 = 2.    2016 = 2.    2017 = 1.    2018 = 6.    2019 = 7.    2020 = 6.   2021 = 5.   2022 = 3.   2023 = 5.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 9th September 2004.

Latest date: 31st October 2013.

Peak count:  3 moths, one night in 2009.


2275 Xanthia gilvago - Dusky-lemon Sallow

Status:  Notable ... increasing ... and then ... decreasing ...

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, Hedgerows and Parkland etc. The larval food plants are the buds of Elms.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded,  flying in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Showing signs of improvement ... well, for a while anyway ... the annual totals being:

1999 = 1.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 0.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 0.    2005 = 0.    2006 = 1.    2007 = 4.    2008 = 3.    2009 = 4.        2010 = 3.    2011 = 2.      2012 = 0.

2013 = 1.    2014 = 0.    2015 = 1.    2016 = 2.    2017 = 1.    2018 = 2.    2019 = 6.    2020 = 2.   2021 = 0.   2022 = 0.   2023 = 3.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 16th September 2009.

Latest date: 23rd October 2009.

Peak count: 2 on 5th October 2023 the only multiple capture. 


2276 Currhia ocellaris - Pale-lemon Sallow

It might not look like much but I was well pleased to see this sitting in one of the traps on 9th October 2018. The previous record was seen back in 1999 you see and that was found dead inside one of the traps at the time. 

The third sighting here, annoyingly almost in pristine nick having recently lost a corner of the right hand wing. 

Status: Rare.

Habitat/Food plant: Lowland areas where the food plant, Black Poplar occurs.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, on the wing in September and October.

1999 - 2023 garden records: I had to 'make do' with only one record of (a dead moth found in one of the traps October 1999) until 9th October 2018 when a long awaited second moth, and a live one this time, decided to show up. A third was then seen on 25th September 2019 and a fourth on 20th October 2020. 

Earliest date: n/a.

Latest date: n/a.

Peak count: n/a.

Noctuidae cont: (Acronictinae)


2278 Acronicta megacephala - Poplar Grey

Status: Annual in small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: Woodland, Fens, Parkland etc. The larval food plants are in the main Poplars (like it says on the tin) Black and White, Lombardy and Aspen etc. but also Willows.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying mainly in June and July.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  The population has remained fairly stable here over the years.

The annual tallies have been:

1999 = 2.    2000 = 4.    2001 = 2.    2002 = 11.    2003 = 8.    2004 = 1.    2005 = 1.    2006 = 7.     2007 = 1.    2008 = 7.    2009 = 5.    2010 = 8.    2011 = 8.    2012 = 12.

2013 = 7.    2014 = 4.   2015 = 11.    2016 = 0.    2017 = 7.    2018 = 0.    2019 = 7.    2020 = 5.   2021 = 4.   2022 = 4.    2023 = 3.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 24th May 2004.

Latest date: 24th August 2012.

Peak count: 3 on 5th July 2002.


2279 Acronicta aceris - Sycamore

Status: Annual in small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: Most frequent in urban areas, the larval food plants include Sycamore, Field Maple and Horse Chestnut.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from mid June to August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: The population has remained fairly stable here over the years.

The annual tallies have been:

1999 = 1.    2000 = 1.    2001 = 5.    2002 = 11.    2003 = 4.    2004 = 3.    2005 = 7.    2006 = 7.     2007 = 2.    2008 = 4.    2009 = 5.    2010 = 6.    2011 = 1.    2012 = 4.

2013 = 3.    2014 = 3.    2015 = 1.    2016 = 1.      2017 = 0     2018 = 3.    2019 = 8.    2020 = 2.   2021 = 2.   2022 = 9.   2023 = 1.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 16th June 2005 a more usual early date then a really early one on 22nd May 2019 then an even earlier arrival on 1st May 2022.

Latest date: 21st August 2007.

Peak count: Two moths on a couple/few occasions only.


2280 Acronicta leporina - Miller

Status: No sign for the first decade or so but almost annual since 2010 when the first one showed up here.

Habitat/Food plant: Broadleaved woodland, heaths, moorland, fens ... also urban areas where the food plants occur.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying from late May to early August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Non existent here till 2010 when the first one showed up on 1st of July. After this momentous occasion came to pass a few more started to show ...

It showed up here on six occasions, on 7th July 2010 and 13th July 2013, 3rd July 2014, 14th July 2014 then July 15th and 22nd 2016 etc. see below; 

1999 - 2009 = 0.    2010 = 1.    2011 = 0.    2012 = 0.    2013 = 1.    2014 = 2.    2015 = 0.    2016 = 2.    2017 = 1.    2018 = 3.    2019 = 5.    

2020 = 2.   2021 = 2.   2022 = 8.  2023 = 3.   2024 = 

Earliest date: 21st May 2018.

Latest date: 22nd July 2016.

Peak count: 2 on 30th July 2022. 


2283/84 Acronicta tridens/psi - Grey/Dark Dagger types

Status: Common, regular in small numbers.

Habitat/Food plant: Wide ranging both in preferred habitat and food plants.

Broods/flight period: Mainly single brooded, flying from May till August but sometimes a second generation will occur in September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: Another species that has remained fairly stable here.

Earliest date: 25th April 2014.

Latest date: 5th October 2006.

Peak count: 5 moths, one night in 2009.


2289 Acronicta rumicis - Knot Grass

Status:  Notable here some years, otherwise annual in small numbers. 

Habitat/Food plant: Most open habitats and some woodlands. The larval food plants are various things such as Broad-leaved Dock, Common Sorrel, Plantains, Water Mint, Bramble, Hop, Hawthorn, Burnet Rose and Sallows ... phew!

Broods/flight period: Double brooded, flying in May and June, then again in August and September.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Up and down here, never numerous ...

The annual tallies have been:

1999 = 0.    2000 = 4.    2001 = 4.    2002 = 4.    2003 = 16.    2004 = 8.    2005 = 2.    2006 = 11.     2007 = 2.    2008 = 1.    2009 = 11.    2010 = 7.    2011 = 1.     2012 = 2.

2013 = 6.    2014 = 3.    2015 = 4.    2016 = 7.    2017 = 1.     2018 = 5.    2019 = 6.    2020 = 10.   2021 = 7.    2022 = 20+   2023 = 1.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 24th April 2003.

Latest date: 29th September 2002.

Peak count: 3 moths, one night in 2009.


2290 Simyra albovenosa - Reed Dagger

Status: Scarce.

Habitat/Food plant: Amongst reed beds in various wetland habitats, the main larval food plant is Common Reed.

Broods/flight period: Double brooded, on the wing in May till July then again from August till September.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Ten records, 9 up till 2017 and three in 2006. Also others on 31st July 2020, 19th July 2022 and 7th July 2023.  

Earliest date: 13th June 2014.

Latest date: 11th August 2005.

Peak count: Singles only.


2291 Craniophora ligustri - Coronet

Status: Non existent until 2011 when it suddenly appeared here and has been taken almost annually since.

Habitat/Food plant: Woodland, scrub and Fens. the larval food plants are Ash, Alder, Hazel and Wild Privet.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded, flying in June and July.

1999 - 2023 garden records: None till July of 2011 (when 2 showed up) then another in July 2012 and 6 more in July/August of 2013 including two one night.

2011 = 2.    2012 = 1.    2013 = 6.    2014 = 2.    2015 = 3.    2016 = 2.    2017 = 1.    2018 = 0.    2019 = 1.    2020 = 2.   2021 = 0.   2022 = 3.   2023 = 3.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 21st June 2017.

Latest date: Though the books refer to this as a June/July flying species I have taken them as late as 16th August 2015 and 22nd August 2023. 

Peak count: 2 moths, one night in 2013.


Bryophilinae


2292 Cryphia algae - Tree Lichen Beauty

Status: Was a very rare migrant to the UK as whole when I first started my semi pro moth trapping career, now it's a regular resident in sunny Thanet ... more fool it.

Habitat/Food plant: Places where Lichens, (on trees and other substrates) the larval food plants grow.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded flying in July and August.

1999 - 2023 garden records: After a few migrant arrivals at local coastal trapping sites in the early 2000's, I eventually recorded my first one here as a migrant, on 28th July 2002.  Since then they have become resident locally (in the late 2000's) and can now be expected in late summer, rather than just hoped for.

The annual numbers show their rapid increase during my period of trapping:

 1999 = 0.    2000 = 0.    2001 = 0.    2002 = 2.    2003 = 0.    2004 = 0.    2005 = 0.    2006 = 0.     2007 = 2.    2008 = 2.    2009 = 9.    2010 = 14+.    2011 = 11.    2012 = 15.

2013 = 30.  2014 = 30.  2015 = 36.  2016 = 12.   2017 = 18.    2018 = 50.    2019 = 40.    2020 = 134.   2021 = 20.   2022 = 47.   2023 = 26.  2024 = 

Earliest date: 5th July 2011.

Latest date: 17th September 2023. 

Peak count: 6 moths, one night in August 2013. In the rather mad year of 2020 counts then reached into double figures on 5 dates with a peak of 19 on 7th August. 


2293 Cryphia domestica - Marbled Beauty

Above: two variants, there are half a dozen other types/plumage's ... whiter and darker grey, some having yellow bars etc.

Status: Initially common they are borderline noteworthy these days. 

Habitat/Food plant: Associated with old buildings, also calcareous woodland and coastal cliffs. The larval food plant are Lichens growing on rocks, walls, roofs and trees.

Broods/flight period: Single brooded flying from July till September.

1999 - 2023 garden records: A regular late summer/early autumn visitor here, mainly in small numbers.

2023 =  9.  

Earliest date: 18th June 2000.

Latest date: 6th October 2010.

Peak count: 11 moths on 25th August 2003.


2295 Cryphia muralis - Marbled Green

Above: The two main forms, there are other variants. 

Status: Has increased from the 'notable' to the fairly common category during my period of trapping here.

Habitat/Food plant: Lichens such as Xanthoria and Caloplaca growing on walls and rocks.

Broods/flight period:  Single brooded flying mainly in July and August.

1999 - 2023 garden records:  Like Billericky Dicky they are 'doin' very well' ... increasing no end since 1999.

Earliest date: 5th July 2014.

Latest date: 23rd September 2009.

Peak count:  8 moths, one night in August 2012.