Earliest dates

	Dorset Moths

Earliest dates

This table is to log first sighting dates, with a comparison to early records in 2006 - 2011, and a note of the expected flight period. The list is by no means exhaustive, but the species were originally chosen by virtue of the fact that in 2007 there were some notable early emergences. Any species found earlier than the usual flight period should be reported as well as the common species. The table is sorted in earliest date sort order, with this years earliest sightings at the top.

Any new early records are welcomed for this year, and also for previous years. The data for 2006 in particular is likely to be incomplete - Last updated 24 Jan 2012.

Some of the species that overwinter as adults may just be late autumn moths, or early Spring emergers, i.e. Angle Shades and Red-green Carpet.
B&F	Species	2012	Location	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	Usual first flight period (Waring & Townsend)
2190	Hebrew Character	29-Oct	Studland	08-Feb	27-Feb	17-Feb	27-Jan	17-Feb	19-Mar	March - early May
2187	Common Quaker	22-Dec	Tincleton	08-Feb	12-Mar	22-Feb	07-Nov	16-Feb		March-April
2306	Angle Shades	07-Jan	Puncknowle	07-Apr	28-Mar	22-Apr	14-Mar	18-Feb	23-Apr	May - October
1760	Red-green Carpet	08-Jan	East Lulworth	17-Jan	28-Mar	22-Apr	07-May	01-Feb	06-May	Overwinters as adult, re-emerges Mar - May
1862	Double-striped Pug	17-Jan	East Lulworth	22-Feb	17-Mar	13-Mar	20-Jan	31-Jan	12-Apr	Late March - May
2236	Pale Pinion	21-Jan	Chickerell	15-Mar	16-Feb	14-Mar	25-Mar	20-Feb	14-Apr	Overwinters as adult, re-emerges Mar - May
2182	Small Quaker	23-Jan	Tolpuddle	20-Feb	16-Mar	12-Mar	10-Feb	08-Mar		March-April
1930	Oak Beauty			08-Feb	27-Feb	24-Feb	23-Jan	11-Feb	24-Mar	March-April
1917	Early Thorn			12-Mar	17-Mar	01-Mar	23-Feb	01-Feb	02-Apr	April - May
2235	Tawny Pinion			17-Mar	27-Mar	30-Mar	16-Mar	01-Feb	13-Apr	Overwinters as adult, re-emerges Mar - May
1881	Early Tooth-striped			15-Feb	08-Apr	30-Mar	27-Feb	15-Mar	16-Apr	April - May
2179	Pine Beauty			25-Feb	17-Mar	31-Mar	03-Apr	16-Feb	13-Apr	March - May
2188	Clouded Drab			11-Mar	05-Apr	27-Feb	22-Feb	23-Feb	01-Apr	Early March - May, sometimes earlier
2185	Lead-coloured Drab			20-Mar		22-Mar	01-Mar		13-Apr	Early April
1906	Brimstone Moth			15-Mar	27-Apr	02-Apr	22-Apr	11-Apr	14-Apr	April - October
2063	Muslin Moth			15-Mar	10-Apr	31-Mar	10-Apr	28-Mar	27-Apr	May - early June
1769	Spruce Carpet			10-Apr	15-May	11-Jun	21-Apr	15-Mar	07-Jun	May - July
2154	Cabbage Moth			26-May	03-Jul	15-Mar	14-May	16-Apr	12-May	May - October
2186	Powdered Quaker			27-Mar	28-Mar	25-Mar	03-May	22-Mar	20-Apr	April - May
2028	Pale Tussock			27-Mar						May - June
2015	Lunar Marbled Brown			27-Mar						April - May
2087	Turnip Moth			04-Apr	29-May	14-May	08-May	27-Mar	25-Apr	May - June, earlier are usually migrants
2425	Nut-tree Tussock			01-Apr	22-Apr	31-Mar	21-Apr	01-Apr	29-Apr	Late April - June
2003	Pebble Prominent			08-Apr	05-May	18-Apr	27-Apr	01-Apr	21-Apr	May - June
2107	Large Y. Underwing			02-Apr	31-May	04-May	08-May	06-May	07-May	June - October
2102	Flame Shoulder			14-Apr	24-Apr	13-Apr	02-Apr	12-Apr	30-Apr	May / June and August / September
1858	V-Pug			04-Apr	01-May	17-Apr	05-May	14-Apr	28-Apr	May - June
2450	Spectacle			07-Apr	28-Apr	17-Apr	26-Apr	08-Apr	13-Apr	Late May- mid July
2000	Iron Prominent			07-Apr	17-May	23-Apr	05-May	14-Apr		May - June
2160	Bright-line Brown-eye			08-Apr	28-Apr	17-Apr	05-May	12-Apr	09-May	May - late July
2005	Great Prominent			08-Apr	19-Apr	09-Apr	27-Apr	13-Apr	27-Apr	Late April - June
2007	Swallow Prominent			08-Apr	05-May	17-Apr	26-Apr	09-Apr	29-Apr	Late April - June
1677	Birch Mocha			08-Apr	08-May	05-May	15-May	16-Apr	07-May	Early May - late June
2011	Pale Prominent			10-Apr	28-Apr	09-Apr	03-May	12-Apr	13-May	May - June
1999	Lobster Moth			20-Apr	09-May	14-May	23-May	12-Apr	07-Jun	Mid May - July
2006	Les. Swallow Prominent			21-Apr	23-Apr	17-Apr	24-Apr	12-Apr	29-Apr	May - June, August
1817	Foxglove Pug			08-May	25-May	22-May		12-Apr	28-May	May - June
1680	Maiden's Blush			22-Apr	05-May	02-May	26-Apr	13-Apr	06-May	Early May to early July
2389	Pale Mottled Willow			04-Jun	25-May	22-Apr	25-Apr	13-Apr	15-May	Mainly May-July, August-October
1771a	Cypress Carpet			14-Jun	02-Jun	12-May	29-May	13-Apr	04-Jun	Late June - July
1832	Currant Pug			21-Apr	21-May	20-Apr	04-May	14-Apr	20-May	May - June
2089	Heart and Dart			22-Apr	17-May	07-May	05-May	14-Apr	11-May	Mid May - late August
1955	Common White Wave			23-Apr		10-May		15-Apr		May - June
1994	Buff-tip			24-Apr	05-May	10-May		15-Apr	02-Jun	Late May - July
1835	White-spotted Pug			21-Jul	19-May	10-May		15-Apr	27-May	May - June
1889	Peacock Moth						22-May	15-Apr		Late May - early July
2060	White Ermine			19-Apr	15-May	06-May	07-May	16-Apr	30-Apr	Mid May - late July
1834	Common Pug			17-Apr	15-May	14-May	16-May	18-Apr	27-May	May - June
1920	Scalloped Hazel			24-Apr	04-May	06-May	10-May	17-Apr		May - June
2173	Lychnis			04-May	27-May	21-May	15-Jun	18-Apr	01-Jun	Late May - July
1752	Purple Bar			11-May	24-May	11-May	11-May	18-Apr	08-Jun	May - early July
2043	Orange Footman			20-Apr	20-May	10-May	07-May	22-Apr	13-May	Late May - June
2449	Dark Spectacle			15-May	19-May	20-Apr	23-May	08-May	01-Jun	June - July
1871	Grey Birch			21-Apr	25-May	28-May		23-Apr		Late May - early July
1861	Poplar Hawk-moth			21-Apr	06-May	29-Apr	07-May	24-Apr	12-May	May-July, or early September in south.
1937	Willow Beauty			21-May	25-May	28-May	13-May	22-Apr	26-May	Early June - August
2339	Tawny Marbled Minor			25-May	10-Jul	14-Jun		22-Apr		Late May - late July
1890	Sharp-angled Peacock			24-Apr						May - June
2014	Marbled Brown			09-May	31-May	22-May	12-May	24-Apr	20-May	Late May - early July
1802	Rivulet			25-May	20-Jun	05-Jun	11-May	24-Apr	31-May	Late May - mid July
2326	Clouded-bordered Brindle			25-Apr	18-May	15-May				June - July, sometimes earlier
2199	Common Wainscot			04-May	24-May	20-May	19-Jun	07-May		June - July
2058	Cream-spot Tiger			12-May	03-Jun	22-May	08-May	04-May	01-Jun	Late May - early July
2291	Coronet			02-Jun	28-Jun	12-Jun		04-May	16-Jun	June - July
1689	Mullein Wave			09-May	21-May	24-Jun	08-May	05-May	27-May	June - July
1976	Privet Hawk-moth			06-May	26-May	24-May	21-May	07-May	28-May	June - July
2439	Gold Spot			09-May	30-May	10-May		08-May		June - July
2434	Burnished Brass			10-May	03-Jun	12-May		08-May		June - July
2098	Flame			10-May	04-Jun	24-May	12-May	08-May		June - July
2305	Small Angle Shades			17-May	01-Jun	31-May		16-May	02-Jun	June - July
2216	Shark			04-Jun	04-Jun	19-Jun	23-May	16-May	01-Jul	Late June - August
2202	L-album Wainscot			02-Jun	29-Jun	19-Jun	31-May	12-Jun	16-Jun	July and mid Sep to late Oct/Nov
2050	Common Footman			19-Jun	28-Jun	12-Jun	17-Jun	01-Jun	29-Jun	July-August
2044	Dingy Footman			09-Jul	28-Jun	26-Jun	14-Jul	02-Jun	29-Jun	July-August
1640	Drinker			25-Jun	26-Jun	05-Jun		03-Jun	23-Jun	July-August
2343/a	Common Rustic agg.			25-Jun	04-Jul	12-Jun	16-Jul	03-Jun	25-Jul	July-August
2090	Crescent Dart			23-Jul		22-Jul	14-Jul	04-Jun		July-August
2110	B-b. Yellow Underwing			30-Jun	01-Jul		07-Jul	05-Jun	18-Jul	July-September
2076	Kent Black Arches			15-Jun	30-Jun	16-Jun	02-Jul	08-Jun	29-Jun	late June-early August
2057	Garden Tiger			25-Jun	20-Jun	14-Jun	11-Jun	07-Jul		July-August
2047	Scarce Footman			22-Jun	28-Jun	22-Jun	14-Jul	18-Jun	01-Jul	July-August
2225	Minor Shoulder-knot				01-Jul		24-Jun	19-Jun	12-Jul	July-August
2361	Rosy Rustic			23-Jul	10-Jul	13-Jul	08-Aug	28-Jun	05-Aug	August - October, occasionally late July to Nov.

This site was last updated 01/24/12