Wildlife Review 2025: Moths

A total of 375 species were recorded during the year (cf. 281 in 2024), with 191 of these only seen at light traps set on 24th February, 1st & 15th May, 20th & 25th June, 23rd August and 6th November. The majority were mostly from leafmines, with occasional adult and other larval records. A further 67 species were recorded just as leafmines or larvae, 22 as both larvae and adults and 95 as just adults, these either in the field or attracted to artificial light sources.

Six-spot Burnet 17th July - Kevin Rylands

A total of 23 species were added to the Warren list, including seven confirmed breeding. Devon’s third and fourth Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana were unexpected on 20th June, a species more usually found in coastal areas and rough pastures in southern and eastern England. The 7th Devon record of Toad-rush Case-bearer Coleophora lassella on 15th May is more likely a reflection of the identification difficulty.

Roseate Marble Celypha rosaceana 20th June - Luke Harman

Larval finds included the fourth county record of Fiery Miner (Flame Crest) Chrysoesthia drurella on 16th August, Dogwood Cutter (Yellow-spot Lift) Antispila petryi on 13th September, Thistle Case-bearer Coleophora peribenanderi on 31st May and Pale Pinion on 4th June.

Fiery Miner (Flame Crest) Chrysoesthia drurella 17th August - Kevin Rylands

New species to light included Brindled Beauty, Dark Spectacle and Lunar Marbled Brown on 1st May and Tawny Shears and Waved Carpet on 20th June.

Waved Carpet 20th June - Luke Harman

Daylight discoveries included Burnet Companion on 3rd May, Fruitlet Mining Tortrix Pammene rhediella next day, White-line Pollen-moth (White-barred Gold) Micropterix aruncella on 30th May and Poplar Needle-moth (Poplar Cosmet) Batrachedra praeangusta on 21st June.

Burnet Companion 3rd May - Chris Gladman

Recent arrivals still finding the Warren to their liking included Fig-leaf Skeletoniser Choreutis nemorana, Least Carpet, Portland Ribbon Wave and Rosy(-striped) Knot-horn Oncocera semirubella, with the nationally scarce Reed Beauty (New Marsh Cosmet) Cosmopterix scribaiella, and nationally rare Alexanders Straw Aethes deaurana again breeding on site.

Reed Beauty (New Marsh Cosmet) Cosmopterix scribaiella 9th June - Alan Keatley

A further 24 species were recorded for the first time in at least seven years including Grey Arches, Dotted Border, Streamer, Broad-barred White, Sandy Carpet, White Colon, Gothic, Gorse Wanderer (Gorse Crest) Brachmia blandella, Tansy Stem Borer (White-border Neb) Isophrictis striatella and Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla.

Gothic 20th June - Luke Harman

Streamer 27th April - Kevin Rylands

Local specialties recorded included Bloxworth Snout, Shore Wainscot, Yellow Belle, White Satin, Kent Maze-miner (Bent-wing) Phyllocnistis xenia, Saltern Tuft (Bent-wing) Bucculatrix maritima, Orange-spotted Miner (Six-spot Crest) Chrysoesthia sexguttella, Rolled Grass-moth (Waste Grass-veneer) Pediasia contaminella, Sandhill Knot-horn Anerastia lotella, and Rest-harrow Piercer Cydia microgrammana.

White Satin 25th June - Kevin Rylands

Sandhill Knot-horn Anerastia lotella 20th June - Luke Harman

Day-flying species included in April; Woodrush Case-bearer Coleophora otidipennella from 8th, Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana from 22nd, Green Longhorn Adela reaumurella from 28th, the second site record of Mother Shipton on 29th and Cinnabar from 30th. Later emerging species included Yellow Shell and Hedge Beauty (Common Tubic) Alabonia geoffrella from 16th May, Small Yellow Underwing from 28th May, Six-spot Burnet from 14th June and Jersey Tiger from 19th July and after last year’s absence, a single Mint Moth Pyrausta aurata on 13th September.

Hedge Beauty (Common Tubic) Alabonia geoffrella 16th May - Alan Keatley

The first migrant was a Silver Y arrived on 4th April with records only through to 1st September. Other regular species included Diamondback Plutella xylostella from 17th May, Hummingbird Hawkmoth on 16th & 20th June, Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis from 20th June and Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella on 22nd June.

Ni Moth 20th June - Luke Harman

Scarcer migrants included the Warren’s second records of Ni Moth on 20th June, Small Marbled on 25th June and Latticed Heath on 7th September.

Small Marbled 25th June - Kevin Rylands

Single Pearly Underwing and Dark Sword-grass appeared in late August, with a Vestal on 7th September, and in November, two Crimson Speckled and a Gem on 6th, another Crimson Speckled on 8th and an Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis on 25th.

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis 25th November - Lee Collins

Other species recorded from leafmines or larval cases included Agrimony Case-bearer Coleophora follicularis, Sea-rush Case-bearer Coleophora maritimella, Blackthorn Blister Moth (Striped Bent-wing) Lyonetia prunifoliella, Fleabane Moth (Fanner) Digitivalva pulicariae, Hart's-tongue Moth (Smut) Psychoides verhuella and Scarce Blackthorn Dot (Scarce Sloe Pigmy) Stigmella prunetorum.

Sea-rush Case-bearer Coleophora maritimella 7th September - Richard Fox

Other larvae Yellow-barred Brindle, Angle Shades, Mullein, Scarce Footman, Cream-spot Tiger, Puss Moth and tents of Buff-tip and Lackey although Brown-tail nests remained rare.

Yellow-barred Brindle 15th June - Kevin Rylands