Adur Pyralids 

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Notes on some of the scientific names:

Pyrausta = fire-winged. A fabulous insect supposed to live in fire.

aurata = gilded or gold. Shining like gold.

nigrata = negro

cingulate = when the abdomen or the trunk is wholly surrounded by one or more belts of a different colour.

despicata = despised.

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6 & 10 August 2008 The small pyralid moth, Pyrausta purpuralis was spotted on the the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

30 July 2008 The most interesting lepidopteran observation were the frequent occurrence of a small brownish moth amongst the Horseshoe Vetch leaves, Hippocrepis comosa,  on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. At least twenty flitted about in a five metre square patch. It is expected to be a common species. The flash of grey was a Treble-bar Moth.

This is Synaphe punctalis, a pyralid moth associated with shingle and sand dunes as well as other dry habitats such as chalk downland. Not a common species, but it seems to have spread its range in Sussex in recent years. The larvae feed on mosses. ID & Comments by Sarah Patton on the British Insects Yahoo Group

20 July 2008
The small pyralid moth, Pyrausta nigrata was frequently seen on an acre of the lower slopes of Mill Hill, with some of them much more faded than others. There was one Pyrausta purpuralis moth.

15 July 2008
The small pyralid moth, Pyrausta nigrata was occasionally seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, with some of them much more faded than others. There were probably many more that went unnoticed.

11 & 13 July 2008
The small pyralid moth, Pyrausta nigrata was frequently seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill in the afternoon and morning. Most of them were so faded that they were originally mistaken for one of the other pyralids.

2 &8 June 2008

My first pyralid moth Pyrausta aurata of the year was seen in my garden in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham.

 

8 May 2008

The Pyrausta nigrata pyralid moths were occasionally seen and many were missed on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. There was a probable Pyrausta despicata pyralid as well, but it eluded a photograph.

 

6 May 2008

At least five Pyrausta nigrata pyralid moths was spotted on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. A pyralid moth, probably the common garden species, the Mint Moth, Pyrausta aurata, was seen probably for the first time recorded on the upper slopes of Mill Hill. The two yellow spots were seen in a brief moment of less than a second I saw it on a Common Daisy with wings closed into a pyramid. It could be Pyrausta purpuralis as we have had this identification problem before in a photographed specimen on 28 May 2006. On reflection, I think this is Pyrausta purpuralis.

 

2 May 2008
On a mild sunny day, 13.2 °C, at least two Pyrausta nigrata pyralid moths, the first small Pyrausta purpuralis pyralid moth of 2008 were noted on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

27 April 2008
On a cool day, just one Pyrausta nigrata pyralid moth was spotted on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

20 April 2008
A passage journey over the lower slopes of Mill Hill revealed four Grizzled Skippers visiting Dog Violets and at least one of the first Pyrausta nigrata pyralid moths of 2008.

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4 September 2007
A probable pyralid moth Pyrausta purpuralis was seen in the short sward north of the Reservoir on Mill Hill.
 

24 August 2007 On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, very faded versions of the small pyralid moth Pyrausta nigrata were frequently seen with over twenty recorded before I stopped counting. They were so faded I was not sure of my identification by sight alone.

13 August 2007
A small pyralid moth fluttered around my small pond in my front garden in Corbyn Crecent, Shoreham. It was Pyrausta aurata, the Mint Moth.

9 & 12 August 2007

An attractive small Pyrausta purpuralis moth was again seen on both days in the main Tor Grass area on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. The wavy line pattern was most distinctive with this colourful moth that did not settle long enough for a photograph.

 

17 June 2007

Two Pyrausta purpuralis moths from an area of Tor Grass on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were the first positive records of this attractive small pyralid moth, but this species has been suspected from Mill Hill before. They were very pretty with wavy line patterns on dark red. It looks like it has the red colour of Pyrausta aurata and the wavy markings of Pyrausta nigrata.

 

3 June 2007 There was a pyralid moth Pyrausta despicata on the northern bank of Slonk Hill, and I also spotted a Cinnabar Moth somewhere on the Adur Levels.

 29 April 2007
The lower slopes of Mill Hill produced, about a dozen of the small moths Pyrausta nigrata, as well as small moths I have not identified yet and many others overlooked.
 

Pyrausta nigrata	This very small pyralid moth  Scoparia pyralella landed on me from the lower slopes of Mill Hill. This is a chalk downland moth, rarely found elsewhere.

15 April 2007

The dark moth is Pyrausta nigrata not Pyrausta cingulata Note the side spots. The line on the forewing is straight in P. cingulata and wavy in P. nigrata.  Lack of spots in this image. Pyralidae Pyralid Thumbnails

The fawnish coloured moth is Pyrausta despicata.
ID by Mike Wall on UK Micromoths

However, it could well be the Small Purple-barred Moth Phytometra viridaria

9 April 2007
Two of the small day time pyralid moths Pyrausta nigrata were seen flitting between the clumps of Dog Violets on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

27 August 2006
A small pyralid moth Pyrausta aurata* and a larger Treble-bar Moth were spotted without looking for them on the the lower slopes of Mill Hill.  (* This was more likely to be Pyrausta purpuralis as the former has not been recorded from Mill Hill. This moth is even prettier.)

11 July 2006
 

Most smaller moths went unnoted although the first of the second brood Pyrausta nigrata was definitely recorded from the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

28 May 2006
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the moths noted were two Pyrausta nigrata.
 

In the central Triangle area (clearing amongst the scrub) of Mill Hill there was a small brown moth that looked like it is Pyrausta aurata from its markings, but not its colour. The alternative species is Pyrausta purpuralis.

10 May 2006
There was an orange and white moth that I have not identified and other moths including a Treble-bar on the lower slopes of Mill Hill as well as hundreds both of the micro-moth Pancalia and Pyrausta nigrata.

7 May 2006
 

The sun was out but it was mild (under 20º C) in the afternoon. The number of small moths on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were notable with both Pyrausta nigrata and Pancalia being common (over 100 each).

4 May 2006
The small moth Pyrausta nigrata was frequently (25+) seen on the the lower slopes of Mill Hill,
 

2 May 2006 This very small moth landed on an Alexander leaf at the southern end of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. It was only settled for 15 seconds and then it disappeared.  This is not a pyralid. It is the Nettle-tap Moth, Anthophila fabriciana. Adur Butterfly & Moth List 2006

23 August 2005
A damaged and worn Pyrausta aurata moth rested on a Scentless Mayweed on the Coastal Link Cyclepath.

22 August 2005
The Water Mint was flowering in my front garden and two of the small pyralid Pyrausta aurata moth were flitting around.

8 July 2005
 

On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, at least one second brood micro-moth Pyrausta nigrata nectared on Wild Thyme. There was a similarly sized moth next to it, but it flew away before I could confirm its identity (1365 Pyrausta despicata seems most likely).
 

22 May 2005 The first Pyrausta aurata moth of the year was seen in a Shoreham garden. This is sometimes known as the Mint Moth.

6 May 2005
The small moth 2470 Small Purple-barred Moth Phytometra viridaria was recorded for the first time on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, although it has been seen before.

Small Purple-barred Moth Phytometra viridaria This is not a pyralid but a noctuid, and included for comparison purposes.

29 April 2005
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill
 

During the  fifteen minutes stay, I spotted what appeared to be at least two different Pyrausta Moths, including Pyrausta nigrata. I have now provisionally identified the new species as 1365 Pyrausta despicata. The 2470 Small Purple-barred Moth Phytometra viridaria was present as well.

4 October 2004

Pyrausta nigrata
Shoreham Bank

6 August 2003

The pretty little day-flying pyralid moth known as Pyrausta aurata, were attracted to their caterpillar food plant Water Mint in Ray Hamblett's south Lancing garden.