72.076 .... B&F 2451
Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini (Linnaeus, 1758) 
Status .....Formerly a rare migrant to south-eastern parts of the UK but now believed to have re-established itself in some counties south of the Thames. Perhaps surprisingly, it was only recently recorded as being new to Nottinghamshire, when the individual above was attracted to MV light, by Ian Hunt and Phil Cadman of the Lound Moth Group on 06/09/17, with a second county record coming from Stanton-on-the-Wolds in September 2020 (Mathers, S.).

In 2022, there were a series of at least seven records from across the county and the number of records continue to increase during 2023, showing that this once huge UK rarity can turn up anywhere.

We are indebted to Paul Brock, for kindly providing us with the opportunity to photograph the impressive larva in May 2018 (lower two photographs).
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Captive bred adult. Photographed June 2022
 
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Photographed at Lound GP/Idle Valley NR September 2017
 
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Early stages                            
Ova/egg. Photographed October 2021
 
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Newly hatched larva (length 5mm). Photographed April 2022   Larva undergoing first moult (length 10mm). Photographed April 2022
 
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Full grown larva. Photographed May 2018
 
 
Nottinghamshire (VC56) distribution of Clifden Nonpareil
 
 
 
The records for the Nottinghamshire distribution map are currently provided by the following contributors - Lound Moth Group. Phil Cadman. Ian Hunt. Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2020). Sean Tobin. Potwell Dyke Grasslands Group per David Yates. Kevin Hector Brown (via Facebook). Paul Dulwich (via Facebook). Nottinghamshire Moths and Butterflies Facebook Group. Dave Morton and Andy Ashley. Matt and George Akers. Paul Coombes. Mike Hill. Martin Gray. Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2022). Nottinghamshire Moths and Butterflies  Facebook group. Phil Cadman. Trevor and Dilys Pendleton.

You can contribute your own records to help us gain an accurate status of this species in Nottinghamshire. Send an Excel spreadsheet of your records via the 'contact us' link at the top of the homepage.

Updated January 2024

copyright © Trevor and Dilys Pendleton (www.eakringbirds.com) . .
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