Monopis-laevigella - Will Soar
12.036 BF227  – Skin Moth  – Monopis laevigella  – ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species –      
PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Tineidae  >> Tineinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  monopis weaverella
ID pointers: A yellow head, with a dark brown forewing that has a violet or coppery sheen. Speckled with grey and white scales. There is a small greyish off white spot around the middle of the forewing and sometimes a small off white tornal spot.
Distribution:  Widely distributed in the county. Favours a variety of birds nests including Magpie, also Owl pellets and food stuffs of animal origin.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: April /  May /  June /  July /  August /  September –  On the wing from dusk during April -September  Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Will Soar  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 13-20mm
Food Plant: a range of animal origin foodstuffs, such as dead animals, owl pellets and detritus in birds’ nests.
Specific Recorded History Dates for Common [Blue code Blue-coded] moths is not displayed/updated in this tab. However, all verified records for this moth are listed in the RECORDS tab below.

Selected Images:  Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Will Soar ©

 
 


Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1905 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
This chart summarises all available historical occurrence records collated by ISO week of the year. It reflects recorder effort and sampling distribution as well as true biological activity, and should be interpreted as an indicative pattern of seasonal occurrence rather than a statistically controlled abundance or phenology model.

 

Distribution Map for Monopis laevigella

Found 33 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 10 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 23 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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Bedrock Geology ** indirectly affects moth distribution by influencing the type of habitat and food plants available in an area. In turn, this may affect the types of moths that can thrive, or where they can most likely be found.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Monopis laevigella

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Note – the NBN Atlas datasets are listed in the map below and vary in their currency (uptodateness) – however, the map does give a general indication of the moth's distribution across the UK.

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Monthly Records By Year: Monopis laevigella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Monopis laevigella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )

First/Last Recorded Dates: Monopis laevigella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

Click the colour discs below to Select/De-select as Required

Recordings By Year: Monopis laevigella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Monopis laevigella
AGR: -5.1%   |   Total % Change: -66.7%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Monopis laevigella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Monopis laevigella

Flight Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's flight periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen in flight, from site observation records received between 2020-2026.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Monopis laevigella – 33 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

Site Name Tetrad Date Count Stage Recorder Source RecordKey
DWT Wyver Lane SK35K 22/08/2025 1 adult Evans, Dave, Dave Newcombe, Richard Taylor & Chris Brown vc57_irecords_extract iBRC44718055
upper cromford garden SK25Y 20/05/2025 1 adult Ashton, Clive vc57_irecords_extract iBRC41706963
Lightwood, Buxton SK07M 25/09/2024 1 adult Orridge, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC40124622
Belper SK34U 15/06/2024 1 adult Evans, Dave vc57_irecords_extract iBRC36499368
Glossop, Hague Street, Hay meadow SK09G 22/09/2022 1 adult Heintzen, Christian vc57_irecords_extract iBRC36335393
Ferneydale Avenue SK07Q 02/06/2022 1 adult Wakefield, Rowan vc57_irecords_extract iBRC34939508
Ferneydale Avenue SK07Q 25/05/2022 1 adult Wakefield, Rowan vc57_irecords_extract iBRC34939442
Midway, Derbys. SK32A 15/07/2021 1 adult Williams, Michael vc57_irecords_extract iBRC38545990
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UK SK28F 31/05/2021 2 adult Miles, Claire vc57_irecords_extract iBRC29355765
Woodland Ave SK43R 28/05/2020 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33500799
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 20/07/2016 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33504677
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 12/09/2013 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33509818
Backgarden of Broadway, Ripley DELJ SK45A 02/08/2013 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33509308
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 11/06/2013 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33507839
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 24/09/2011 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33514168
Bamford St,Ripley SK34Z 24/09/2011 1 Adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP7NP
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 15/09/2011 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33514110
Bamford St,Ripley SK34Z 15/09/2011 1 Adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001COY0E
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 08/09/2011 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33514066
Bamford St,Ripley SK34Z 08/09/2011 1 Adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP7MD
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 17/05/2011 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33512366
Bamford St,Ripley SK34Z 17/05/2011 1 Adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP6VV
Backgarden Marehay SK34Z 04/05/2011 1 adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC33512231
Bamford St,Ripley SK34Z 04/05/2011 1 Adult Thorpe, Steve vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP6UH
Wood Lane,Newhall,Swadlincote SK22V 29/10/2006 2 Adult Dave Budworth vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001COWA1
Edgecote Drive,Newhall,Swadlincote SK22V 01/09/2006 1 Adult Dave Budworth;N. Topliss vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP3K0
Edgecote Drive,Newhall,Swadlincote SK22V 25/08/2006 1 Adult Topliss, Neil vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP3JH
Foremark Resr, Ticknall SK32H 25/06/2004 1 Adult A. Davison;N. Topliss;W. Soar vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP1TG
Edgecote Drive,Newhall,Swadlincote SK22V 02/06/2004 1 Adult Topliss, Neil vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP1P7
Main Street, Kings Newton SK32Y 13/05/2004 5 Adult Soar, Will vc57_irecords_extract iBRC34678819
Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne SK32Y 13/05/2004 5 Adult Soar, Will vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP1NG
Coton in the Elms, Swadlincote, Derbys SK21M 08/05/1998 10 Adult Dave Budworth vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001COVEP
Hassop (Park) SK27G 30/06/1905 1 Adult D. Whiteley vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001COZIW

 
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