Notice Board 2026

The notice board is one of the principal modes of communication for those interested in VC32 moths. I am keen to keep this resource active throughout the year and will be happy to post interesting sightings or issues. In general, at the time of recording I would like to hear of moths that are UK BAP species, new to the county, very localised or rare, or which have not been recorded since 2000. Additionally any exceptional or interesting captures, i.e. very high numbers, species seen out of season and unusual extremes of variation or melanism etc. will be welcome.

All other records can be submitted at the end of the season for inclusion in the central database.

Site Images: We are keen to complete the species illustrations on the site, additionally some of the earlier photographs now look below par and could be improved. If anyone has photographs of the species that we have not yet pictured, or clear improvements, and does not mind us using them to fill some of our gaps will they please let the County Moth Recorder Mark Hammond know. Any photographs used will of course be acknowledged.

The up to date grid square coverage map is now available by clicking onto:
Request for Information/Records from the County Recorder

IDENTIFICATION AND NOTICE BOARD ENTRIES: Any member of the group is able to handle identification queries on moths at any of their stages and if in doubt will refer the matter on for a second opinion. At the outset the insect should be retained and a realistic photograph provided to confirm the identity. Due to the limitations sometimes imposed by photographic images of moths it is not always possible to identify difficult species from a photograph alone. Basically there is always a preference for a moth in the hand. Accordingly if there are still doubts the actual insect should then be seen by either Mark Hammond, Philip Horsnail or Pete Sharpe who will act as determinors.

2026 Records and Notices:

29th May 2026
Another Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera was recorded to a garden light trap, this time in Oundle (TL08). This therefore is the 2nd county record.

28th May 2026
Two Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera were recorded to a garden light trap in Higham Ferrers (SP96). These represent another 1st VC32 record for this rarely encountered migrant species. That said, I note many reports of the moth from southern and eastern counties in the past couple of days, indicating an unprecedented influx.

28th May 2026
A single Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica was recorded to light in a garden in Cogenhoe (SP86). Further evidence of ongoing migration to the Midlands. Indeed, the species was noted quite widely on social media.

28th May 2026
A single larva of Marjoram Snout Acompsia schmidtiellus has been found at Old Sulehay (TL09) feeding within a spun leaf-roll on Wild Marjoram. This is the 2nd VC32 record, but the first larval record. Further searches will be made to locate further examples. The moth was first noted in the county as an adult to light in July 2025.. A quick snap of the leaf roll is below. NB: following up on this, a further 14 larvae were found in the same general area of the reserve over a 45 minute period. The foodplant is extensive there and thus it would appear that there is a well-established colony in existence. The reseve has been subject to light trapping, but the adults have not been recorded there.

25th May 2026
Another Tree-mallow Tortrix Crocidosema plebejana was also recorded in a garden light trap in East Haddon (SP66), thus the same night as the one noted below and 8th VC32 record.

25th May 2026
Recorded at Cogenhoe (SP86) alongside the species mentioned immediately below was also a single Tree-mallow Tortrix Crocidosema plebejana. Last recorded in 2025 (twice), this is another rare migrant to the locality and is only the 7th VC32 record.

25th May 2026
Two records of Gold Cloak Phtheochroa schreibersiana has been taken in garden light traps - one in Oundle (TL08) and the other Cogenhoe (SP86). These represent the 3rd and 4th VC32 records for the species. I noted via social media that it had been recorded quite widely in the south of the UK, with what I believe was also the first record in neighbouring Leicestershire/VC55.
Previous records are from 2019 and 2020. An image of the Cogenhoe moth is below:

23rd May 2026
Apologies for posting this slightly out of date sequence, but only came to my attention after the two records noted below. So, yet another new for VC32 to report during this amazing period of migrant activity - a single Palm Tabby Diplopseustis perieresalis was recorded to a garden light trap in Higham Ferrers (SP96). Originally Antipodean in origin, it has colonised many European countries, and there are scattered records in eastern and southern UK vice counties. A quick pot-shot of the moth can be seen below:

24th May 2026
And if one county-first is not enough - another extremely rare migrant species has been recorded locally - a single Lunar Double-stripe Minucia lunaris was taken to light in Fineshade (SP99). This species is a very rare visitor to the UK. The BC publication (Atlas of Britain & Ireland's Larger Moths - 2019) lists seven UK records since 2000. A photo of the moth is below:

24th May 2026
Following a period of moth migration, with Small Mottled Willow and high numbers of Diamond-back Moth being reported, a single Beautiful Marbled Eublemma purpurina was recorded to a garden light trap in Kingsthorpe, Northampton (SP76). This is not only a very rare migrant to the Midlands, but also another first for VC32.

Retrospective record - 28th April 2026
A single Scrobipalpa atriplicella was confirmed by dissection. The moth was taken in a garden light trap in Oundle (TL09). This is the 8th all-time VC32 record, but only the second since 2000. Prior to that a number were identified from material collected during the early/mid 1990s from the now defunct Rothamsted light trap that was operated in Fineshade. The larvae of this species feed on Orache (Atriplex) and Goosefoot (Chenopodium), and could well be more widespread than records suggest.

12th May 2026
A single Great Prominent Peridea anceps was recorded in a garden light trap in Old Stratford (SP74). This is the first record in the Milton Keynes area, and new to that 10Km grid square, and away from the known colonies around the Hazelborough Wood complex. There are a couple of other outlying records in the south-west of the vice county, which may have resulted from dispersal events.

8th May 2026
A single Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica was recorded to a garden light trap in Werrington, Peterborough (TF10). This follows on from some recent migrant activity reported in the southern counties of the UK, and represents only the 10th all-time VC32 record (7th since 2000).

3rd May 2026
Following on from some reports of migrant moth speices being seen in more southerly counties, a single Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua was seen at light at Pitsford Reservoir (SP74). More often seen in the summer months locally, it's unusual to record migrant activity this ealry in the year. That said, there are a couple of other early-season records for this species: 30.iv.2022, Helpston and Farthinghoe NR on the same night, and (amazingly) 08.iii.1952, Wellingborough.

1st May 2026
Two mines of Paracrania chrysolepidella were recorded on Hazel in Old Head Wood (SP98). This represents only the 6th all-time VC32 record for this species (5th post-2000 record), despite much recent searching! The last record was of a single larval mine at Old Sulehay in 2019.

Belated record: 3rd March 2026
Two larvae of Proutia betulina were recorded when they crawled out of a collection of fallen Norway Spruce cones (gathered in order to record Cydia strobilella on the site). There are mature Birches growing in amongst the Spruce plantation, so the assumption is that they originated from there. This represents the 1st VC32 record of this nationally rare species.

23rd April 2026
Two Pammene obscurana were recorded to the MOL pheromone lure, positioned against a mature Silver Birch in Fermyn Woods (SP98). The lure trap was placed in the early afternoon, left in-situ overninght, and checked the following morning. These represent the 2nd VC32 record for this nationally rare species. The previous record was at the same site, but was of a singleton taken to light on 01.v.2025.

14th April 2026
A single Pine Cone Moth Gravitarmata margarotana was recorded in a garden in Peterborough (TL19). This is the 1st VC32 record for this species. Since it's first UK record in 2011 (Kent), it now appears to be reasonably well-established in Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, with a single record also in South Leicestershire. Of interest, there was a record of the moth in Mid-Bedfordshire on the same night, which was also new to VC30. So whether this record reflects a dispersal event, or genuine range-expansion is unknown. Running light traps between now and mid-May in and around stands of Pine might lead to further records.
Addendum: Lincolnshire saw it's first record for this species on 1st May 2026, with that record located near Bourne, which is only some 30 miles further north of the Peterborough record.

31st March 2026
At least four Adela cuprella were seen in flight above a large Sallow at Farthinghoe NR (SP54). This therefore is the 10th VC32 record (5th post-2000), and clearly a considerable distance from those found recently around the Old Sulehay area, suggesting the species could well be found almost anywhere in the county.

18th March 2026
Approximately 37 Adela cuprella were recorded on two seperate sites in and around the Old Sulehay quarry area (TL09). These represent the 8th & 9th VC32 records, but only the third/fourth time since 2000. The moths were seen around the tops of mature Sallow trees, aided with binoculars. They were mostly seen in flight high-up near the tree tops, but could also be seen at rest on Sallow blossoms too. Interestingly, not every tree had moths around them, and were not seen above trees where they were seen there in 2002. So now is a great time to record this species, given the excellent forecast for the next few days.

25th February 2026
An interesting set of sightings at moth traps around the county - Small Eggar Eriogaster lanestris adults were recorded at three locations: Higham Ferrers garden (SP96), Raunds garden (SP97) and Collyweston Great Wood (TF00). Interesting in that the adults are not often recorded (maybe three or four in a year), and that these were all on the same night, and two records are dispersed from known larval sites. And also, that these are all quite a bit earlier than in previous years - more usual flight time being mid-March.

25th February 2026
A very good sighting to report, to properly kick the 2026 season off with a bang! A single Mottled Grey Colostygia multistrigaria was recorded to light at Farthinghoe NR (SP55). The moth was spotted and captured just a few minutes after the light was turned on. This is a species which has been recorded in Northants only sporadically, with just twelve records spanning 1882 to 1995, almost exclusively in the north-east of the county (the exception being one at Salcey Forest, circa 1969). There were no further sightings until a single moth was recorded in a garden light trap in Woodnewton on 15.iv.2013. Therefore this is only the second modern, post-2000 record, and the first for thirteen years! Henwood and Stirling (Field Guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland, 2020) state the foodplants to be Heath & Lady's Bedstraw, but also Cleavers, noting that it's preferred habitat is therefore calcareous grassland. These plants are not rare in the county, and thus it is difficult to explain the apparent dearth of records. Perhaps it reflects the relative infrequency of field-trapping at this time of year (although the Moth Group has looked for the species in years gone by, at this time of year).

22nd February 2026
A single Humming-bird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum was spotted in Mears Ashby (SP86). Whether this is a moth that has over-wintered locally, or a primary migrant (given the recent southerly air-flows and Saharan dust flow), is open to debate. Certainly several migrant species have been caught in moth traps in the south-east recently (per social media).

12th February 2026 - retrospective records from 2025
Only recently dissected and confirmed - a species new to VC32: Bohemannia auricileilla. The moth was taken to light in ancient parkland near Northampton (SP66) on 17.vi.2025. The moth appears to be nationally rare, with very few records to date.
Also of note, and some of you will have seen the news item/heard the radio interview: a single Hollyhock Seed Moth Pexicopia malvella was taken to an actinic light trap as part of an under-graduate project, at Delapre Abbey (SP75) on 29.vi.2025. This is the first Northants record since July 1940!

1st January 2026
It's that time of year when (I copy and paste this message from last year...and the one before that!) and wish you all a Happy New Year. I'd like to thank all those who have already submitted their 2025 records. I have sorted through just about all of these. I'll be going into iRecord to perform verifications on the more recent entries, etc soon. I will make my customary request for any outstanding moth records for 2025 please (or indeed any others you may have lurking from previous years) to be sent to Mark Hammond as soon as possible please, so that I can assimilate records, run the necessary checks, update species information on the website and write the report for the year. Note too that I have uploaded the 2026 version of the Recording Spreadsheet, a copy of which was sent direct by email to those recipients on that list.