14.01 BF274  – Oak Tuft – Bucculatrix ulmella – (Zeller, 1848) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species –       Leaf-miner:  CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – reared and possibly dissected       Larval Case:  C1 – Distinctive Species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread        purple – Leaf-miner
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Bucculatricidae
Other Name/s: Oak Bent-wing
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
ID pointers: A tiny moth with an orange tufted head and forewing yellowish white, mottled greyish-brown, with raised blackish scale tufts. Pale buff cilia.
Distribution:  Most probably a common and local species in the county, wherever there are Oak trees. Under-recorded
General Comment: None
Flight Period: April /  May /  June /  August –  On the wing April-June and August Mine Period:  July /  September /  October
Mine Period Additional: The mine is a short contorted gallery close to the midrib of a leaf, containing broken black frass.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
 – but can be disturbed during the day Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Will Soar  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 9 November 2025 by TD ***
Wingspan: 7-8mm
Food Plant: Deciduous Oak (Quercus) and sometimes Hornbeam
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 © / Markham Vale 4/11/2025 – Mark Radford©



Monthly Occurrence For Years Below
Adults: (between 2011 - 2025)  |  Immatures: (between 2006 - 2024)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
 

Distribution Map for Bucculatrix ulmella

Found 19 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 11 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 8 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Mining
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 – Bucculatrix ulmella

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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: Bucculatrix ulmella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Bucculatrix ulmella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Bucculatrix ulmella
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: Bucculatrix ulmella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Bucculatrix ulmella
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Bucculatrix ulmella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Bucculatrix ulmella

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.

Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Bucculatrix ulmella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Mine 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 mine periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen mining, from site observation records received between 2020-2026.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Bucculatrix ulmella – 19 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageRecorderSourceRecordKey
Norton Lees, SheffieldSK38L11/08/20251adultMella, Petevc57_irecords_extractiBRC44387175
Darwin ForestSK26X05/07/20251adultEvans, Davevc57_irecords_extractiBRC43066132
Burton upon TrentSK32P05/11/20241MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC41038908
Poppy WoodSK32S22/11/20231MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35107055
Calke ParkSK32R07/10/20231MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35105504
Calke ParkSK32R01/10/20231MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35105533
Carver's RocksSK32G30/09/20231MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35106078
Carver's RocksSK32H21/09/20231MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35106106
Allestree ParkSK34K25/09/20221MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35105364
BelperSK34U29/07/20221adultEvans, Davevc57_irecords_extractiBRC35317031
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y07/08/20201AdultSoar, Willvc57_irecords_extractiBRC34059805
Grange WoodSK21S13/09/20181MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35106436
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z08/09/20111adultThorpe, Stevevc57_irecords_extractiBRC33514047
BamfordSK28B21/09/20101Larval MineK. McCabe;S.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP6NZ
Howden ResrSK19L25/08/20101Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP08S
Calke ParkSK32L25/10/20081MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35105478
Calke Park,TicknallSK32R25/10/20081Larval MineVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COSOZ
Broomfield Hall, Morley, DerbySK34V14/11/20061Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COWAI
Carr Vale NR,BolsoverSK47K13/09/20061Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP3MQ

 
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