Dark Sword-grass

Dark Sword-grass Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel, 1766)
Status .....A common and regular migrant to the UK. In Nottinghamshire it is annual, usually producing multiple records each year, especially from July to October, with a peak occurring in September. Conditions of adults often varies considerably, as do the various darker markings and there is a likeness to some examples of Turnip Moths.
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Photographed at Sherwood Forest CP September 1st 2010

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Photographed at Red Hill August 15th 2008

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Photographed at Lound Wood August 10th 2008

The records for the Nottinghamshire distribution map are currently provided by the following contributors - Trevor and Dilys Pendleton. Lound Moth Group. Colin Watkin. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth reports 2003-2012). David Hursthouse. Sean Tobin. Dave Morton. Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2014). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2015). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2016). Rob Woodward. Rob Woodward. NBGRC. Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2017). Melanie Newman. Martin Gray. Charles Cannon. Caron Stubbs (Ransom Wood Moth Trapping Results 2010-2013). Iain Leach and Kate Harte (Budby South Forest Moth Trapping Results). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2018). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2019). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2020). Jason Reece and Lily Reece. Andy Adcock. Tom Shields. Graham Birkett. Phil Cadman. Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2021). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2022). Sheila Wright (Nottinghamshire macro moth report 2023). Martin Kennewell. Neil Pinder.

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 March 2025


Nottinghamshire (VC56) distribution of Dark Sword-grass