Photo © Tony Davis

Agrotera nemoralis

Checklist Number
63.041 [B&F: 1410]

Verification
Record will be accepted (subject to date and location checks)

Classification

Family:Crambidae
Subfamily:Spilomelinae
Genus:Agrotera
Species:nemoralis
Authority:(Scopoli, 1763)

Previously considered restricted as a breeding species in the UK to woodland in Kent, with occasional records from elsewhere as presumed migrants; however, in 2014 a breeding colony was found in Torpoint, Cornwall. In our area the only historic record dated from 1946, until another (illustrated here) was taken at MV by John Langmaid in Southsea on 4th June 2010. The first of Isle of Wight record was one to light in Borthwood Copse on 21st June 2015, since when it has been taken annually, indicating probable colonisation of the south-east of the island. Still rare on the mainland, there have been four reports since 2018, which may relate to dispersion across the Solent; remarkably far inland, one turned up in Alton (VC12) in 2023. Wingspan 20-24 mm. Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Hornbeam and Hazel.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)

No Larval records to show.

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Borthwood Copse, Winford (SZ58)21/06/2015oneIain OutlawAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)31/05/2017oneIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)19/06/2017oneJames HalseyAdult
Ventnor (SZ57)19/06/2017oneRob WilsonAdult
Freshwater (SZ38)23/06/2017onePhil BardenAdult
Ventnor (SZ57)30/05/2018oneIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)30/05/2018oneJames HalseyAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)09/06/2018oneIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)02/07/2018oneJames HalseyAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)08/07/2018twoIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)18/06/2019oneJames HalseyAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)20/06/2019oneIain OutlawAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)25/06/2019oneIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)27/05/2020oneJames HalseyAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)29/05/2020oneJames HalseyAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)30/05/2020oneJames HalseyAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)02/06/2020oneJames HalseyAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)08/06/2020oneJames HalseyAdult
Haseley Manor (SZ58)09/06/2020oneIain OutlawAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)13/06/2020threeIain OutlawAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)01/07/2020oneIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)02/06/2021oneJames HalseyAdult
Osborne Valley Walk (SZ59)15/06/2021twoIain OutlawAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)14/07/2021onePhil BardenAdult
Bonchurch (SZ57)15/05/2022oneJames HalseyAdult
Osborne Wood (SZ59)30/05/2022threeIain OutlawAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)16/06/2022oneIain OutlawAdult
Osborne Wood (SZ59)23/06/202210Iain OutlawAdult

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Burley, NF (SU20)25/05/1946oneC W Mackworth-PraedAdult
Southsea (SZ69)04/06/2010oneJ R LangmaidAdult
Wickham (SU51)15/06/2018oneMaurice OpieAdult
Romsey (SU32)02/06/2021oneMike BakerAdult
Northney, Hayling Island (SU70)15/06/2021-John W PhillipsAdult
West Walk (SU61)10/06/2022oneKeith WheelerAdult