Listed below are some of the moth species likely to be found in Heathland habitat within the Christchurch Harbour Recording Area.

Species that are nationally rare, or nationally scarce, have been further annotated as follows:

R* – nationally rare and breeds in the Harbour
R – nationally rare other
S* – nationally scarce and breeds in the Harbour
S – nationally scarce other

The website that is most relevant for Christchurch Harbour moth species is Hantsmoths. Clicking on the scientific name of a species will take you to the web page for that species on the Hantsmoths website.

For a full explanation of layout and terms click here.

Diurnal species readily identifiable as adults likely to be found in Heathland habitat within Christchurch Harbour:

43.009    Scythris empetrella    Ling Runner    R*
66.007    Lasiocampa quercus    Oak Eggar    [Only males fly actively in the day]
68.001    Saturnia pavonia    Emperor Moth    [Only males fly actively in the day]
69.009    Hemaris fuciformis    Broad-bordered Bee Hawk
70.275    Ematurga atomaria    Common Heath
73.257    Anarta myrtilli    Beautiful Yellow Underwing

Nocturnal species readily identifiable as adults likely to be found in Heathland habitat within Christchurch Harbour:

44.001    Alucita hexadactyla    Twenty-plume Moth
62.001    Aphomia sociella    Bee Moth
62.022    Pempelia genistella    Gorse Knot-horn    S*
62.023    Pempelia palumbella    Heather Knot-horn
62.042    Myelois circumvoluta    Thistle Ermine
62.054    Homoeosoma sinuella    Twin-barred Knot-horn
62.070     Synaphe punctalis    Long-legged Tabby
62.075    Hypsopygia costalis    Gold Triangle
62.077    Endotricha flammealis    Rosy Tabby
63.028    Ostrinia nubilalis    European Corn Borer
63.031    Udea ferrugalis    Rusty-dot Pearl
63.038    Patania ruralis    Mother of Pearl
63.048    Palpita vitrealis    Olive-tree Pearl
63.052    Nomophila noctuella    Rush Veneer
63.069    Eudonia angustea    Narrow-winged Grey
63.080    Chrysoteuchia culmella    Garden Grass-veneer
63.089    Agriphila tristella    Common Grass-moth
63.093    Agriphila straminella    Straw Grass-moth
63.109    Pediasia contaminella    Rolled Grass-moth    S*
66.003    Malacosoma neustria    Lackey
66.006    Lasiocampa trifolii    Grass Eggar    S*
66.008    Macrothylacia rubi    Fox Moth
66.010    Euthrix potatoria    Drinker
69.017    Deilephila porcellus    Small Elephant Hawk-moth
70.009    Idaea subsericeata    Satin Wave
70.010    Idaea sylvestraria    Dotted Border Wave
70.013    Idaea biselata    Small Fan-footed Wave
70.016    Idaea aversata    Riband Wave
70.018    Idaea straminata    Plain Wave
70.023    Scopula marginepunctata    Mullein Wave
70.032    Cyclophora albipunctata    Birch Mocha
70.036    Cyclophora punctaria    Maiden’s Blush
70.038    Rhodometra sacraria    Vestal
70.052    Xanthorhoe ferrugata    Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet
70.059    Camptogramma bilineata    Yellow Shell
70.061    Epirrhoe alternata    Common Carpet
70.066    Earophila badiata    Shoulder Stripe
70.067    Anticlea derivata    Streamer
70.087    Cosmorhoe ocellata    Purple Bar
70.090    Eulithis testata    Chevron
70.097    Dysstroma truncata    Common Marbled Carpet
70.141    Gymnoscelis rufifasciata    Double-striped Pug
70.168    Eupithecia nanata    Narrow-winged Pug
70.173    Eupithecia centaureata    Lime-speck Pug
70.179    Eupithecia absinthiata    Wormwood Pug
70.189    Eupithecia subumbrata    Shaded Pug
70.195    Chesias legatella    Streak
70.222    Petrophora chlorosata    Brown Silver-line
70.225    Pachycnemia hippocastanaria    Horse Chestnut    S*
70.237    Selenia dentaria    Early Thorn
70.258    Peribatodes rhomboidaria    Willow Beauty
70.272    Paradarisa consonaria    Square spot
70.294    Aspilates ochrearia    Yellow Belle
70.295    Perconia strigillaria    Grass Wave
70.297    Pseudoterpna pruinata    Grass Emerald
70.306    Chlorissa viridata    Small Grass Emerald
72.022    Diaphora mendica    Muslin Moth
72.023    Diacrisia sannio    Clouded Buff
72.024    Phragmatobia fuliginosa    Ruby Tiger
72.026    Arctia caja    Garden Tiger
72.027    Arctia villica britannica    Cream-spot Tiger
72.038    Cybosia mesomella    Four-dotted Footman
72.046    Eilema complana    Scarce Footman
72.067    Phytometra viridaria    Small Purple-barred
72.084    Euclidia mi    Mother Shipton
73.001    Abrostola tripartita    Spectacle
73.015    Autographa gamma    Silver Y
73.061    Stilbia anomala    Anomalous
73.069    Xylocampa areola    Early Grey
73.070    Pyrrhia umbra    Bordered Sallow
73.091    Elaphria venustula    Rosy Marbled
73.095    Paradrina clavipalpis    Pale Mottled Willow
73.096    Hoplodrina octogenaria    Uncertain
73.099    Hoplodrina ambigua    Vine’s Rustic
73.101    Charanyca trigrammica    Treble Lines
73.102    Rusina ferruginea    Brown Rustic
73.105    Dypterygia scabriuscula    Bird’s Wing
73.109    Thalpophila matura    Straw Underwing
73.113    Phlogophora meticulosa    Angle Shades
73.114    Euplexia lucipara    Small Angle Shades
73.120    Eremobia ochroleuca    Dusky Sallow
73.131    Luperina testacea    Flounced Rustic
73.162    Apamea monoglypha    Dark Arches
73.172    Mesoligia furuncula    Cloaked Minor
73.176    Oligia fasciuncula    Middle-barred Minor
73.181    Xanthia togata    Pink-barred Sallow
73.182    Cirrhia icteritia    Sallow
73.186    Agrochola lychnidis    Beaded Chestnut
73.189    Agrochola lota    Red-line Quaker
73.190    Agrochola macilenta    Yellow-line Quaker
73.191    Agrochola haematidea    Southern Chestnut    S
73.193    Omphaloscelis lunosa    Lunar Underwing
73.194    Conistra vaccinii    Chestnut
73.231    Aporophyla lutulenta    Deep-brown Dart
73.233    Aporophyla nigra    Black Rustic
73.235    Polymixis lichenea    Feathered Ranunculus
73.242    Orthosia incerta    Clouded Drab
73.244    Orthosia cerasi    Common Quaker
73.245    Orthosia cruda    Small Quaker
73.247    Orthosia gracilis    Powdered Quaker
73.249    Orthosia gothica    Hebrew Character
73.252    Tholera cespitis    Hedge Rustic
73.253    Tholera decimalis    Feathered Gothic
73.255    Anarta trifolii    Nutmeg
73.263    Lacanobia w-latinum    Light Brocade
73.266    Lacanobia suasa    Dog’s Tooth
73.267    Lacanobia oleracea    Bright-line Brown-eye
73.273    Hada plebeja    Shears
73.291    Mythimna pallens    Common Wainscot
73.293    Mythimna impura    Smoky Wainscot
73.294    Mythimna straminea    Southern Wainscot
73.297    Mythimna albipuncta    White-point
73.313    Euxoa tritici    White-line Dart
73.317    Agrotis exclamationis    Heart and Dart
73.322    Agrotis vestigialis    Archer’s Dart
73.325    Agrotis puta    Shuttle-shaped Dart
73.327    Agrotis ipsilon    Dark Sword-grass
73.338    Lycophotia porphyrea    True Lover’s Knot
73.342    Noctua pronuba    Large Yellow Underwing
73.345    Noctua comes    Lesser Yellow Underwing
73.346    Noctua interjecta caliginosa    Least Yellow Underwing
73.356    Xestia agathina    Heath Rustic
73.357    Xestia xanthographa    Square-spot Rustic
73.359    Xestia c-nigrum    Setaceous Hebrew Character
73.365    Eugnorisma glareosa    Autumnal Rustic
74.002    Meganola albula    Kent Black Arches

Other notable species likely to be found in Heathland habitat within Christchurch Harbour:

35.046    Bryotropha senectella    Grizzled Moss-moth
35.048    Bryotropha umbrosella    Sandhill Moss-moth    S*
35.052    Aristotelia brizella    Thrift Elder    S*
35.131    Caryocolum marmorea    Mouse-ear Groundling    S*
37.055    Coleophora pyrrhulipennella    Heath Case-bearer
37.063    Coleophora albicosta    Gorse Case-bearer
49.015    Archips xylosteana    Variegated Golden Tortrix
49.039    Epiphyas postvittana    Light Brown Apple Moth
49.111    Eupoecilia angustana    Dark-barred Straw
49.139    Cochylichroa atricapitana    Black-fronted Straw
49.279    Gypsonoma dealbana    Common Cloaked Tortrix
49.325    Cydia ulicetana    Common Gorse Moth
54.010    Zygaena trifolii    Five-spot Burnet    [Day-flying]
62.059    Phycitodes saxicola    Lesser Clouded Knot-horn
73.169    Mesapamea secalis    Common Rustic
73.173    Oligia strigilis    Marbled Minor
73.174    Oligia latruncula    Tawny Marbled Minor
73.175    Oligia versicolor    Rufous Minor
73.347    Noctua janthina    Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing    S*
73.348    Noctua janthe    Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

For a complete list of moth species likely to be found in Heathland habitat within Christchurch Harbour, look for code ‘HL’ in the Systematic List.

Go to CHOG Harbour Moths main page.