15.006 BF284 – Rufous Stilt – Caloptilia rufipennella – (Hübner, 1796)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Leaf-miner: CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – 
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce 
– Leaf-miner
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. ID pointers: A characteristic resting pose, with the body raised on the front legs. The forewing is a glossy orange-brown or red-brown A distinctive white band on chocolate brown forelegs and small size help to distinguish from other similar species.
Distribution: (Last record: 11 August 2024 at Cromford ) – Not listed in Harrison & Sterling (1988) – A new British species in 1970, and one that seems to be expanding its range, with over 34 records from Derbyshire prior to 2010. Since a scattering of records so most probably under-recorded or a rare species.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae feed on sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), initially in a small mine, but later folding the leaf and feeding within.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford
Selected Images: Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Will Soar ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1993 - 2024) | Immatures: (between 2001 - 2022)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
Distribution Map for Caloptilia rufipennella
Found 31 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 7 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 24 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 7 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 24 from Before 2020
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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 – Caloptilia rufipennella
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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.
Monthly Records By Year:
Caloptilia rufipennella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Caloptilia rufipennella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Caloptilia rufipennella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Caloptilia rufipennella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Caloptilia rufipennella
AGR: 1.26% | Total % Change: 33.3%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Caloptilia rufipennella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Caloptilia rufipennella
Caloptilia rufipennella
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
Caloptilia rufipennella
Caloptilia rufipennella
( 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 - Caloptilia rufipennella – 31 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 11/08/2024 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC37847609 |
| King's Newton | SK32Y | 29/07/2024 | 2 | adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40386704 |
| Chaddesden, Derby | SK33T | 17/07/2024 | 1 | adult | roome, martin | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38321147 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 08/10/2023 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC46329940 |
| Havercroft Road | SK38L | 07/10/2023 | 1 | Adult | Tait, Malcolm | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36369311 |
| Allestree Park | SK34K | 25/09/2022 | 1 | Mine | Finch, Graham Leonard | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35105365 |
| Buxton SK, UK | SK07S | 18/08/2022 | 1 | Adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33127595 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 18/07/2018 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059808 |
| Backgarden Marehay | SK34Z | 08/04/2017 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33503563 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 20/07/2016 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059809 |
| Meersbrook, Sheffield | SK38M | 03/07/2014 | 1 | Adult | Turner, Jan | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC1125816 |
| Derby (Meadow Lane) | SK33N | 02/08/2012 | 1 | Larval Mine | R. Homan | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP89F |
| Backgarden Marehay | SK34Z | 08/05/2012 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33509995 |
| Bamford St,Ripley | SK34Z | 08/05/2012 | 1 | Adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP7QM |
| Thorpe, Dovedale | SK15K | 13/10/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6QD |
| Ashford in the Water | SK16Z | 22/09/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6P8 |
| Bamford | SK28B | 21/09/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | K. McCabe;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6O1 |
| Ladybower Resr | SK18U | 03/09/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6KP |
| Slippery Stones,Upper Derwent | SK19S | 25/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COXI4 |
| Howden Resr | SK19L | 25/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP08T |
| Cromford | SK25Y | 16/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | Dave Budworth;S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP55V |
| Hope | SK18R | 07/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COSZ5 |
| Tissington Trail, Ashbourne | SK14T | 01/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | Dave Budworth;S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COWYJ |
| Hague Bar, New Mills | SJ98X | 03/09/2007 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP44K |
| Mousley Bottom, New Mills | SJ98X | 03/09/2007 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP44O |
| Brackley Gate, nr Coxbench | SK34W | 03/11/2001 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP1FH |
| Abbotsholme School, Rocester | SK13E | 04/10/2001 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVGJ |
| Ladycroft Ave,Buxton | SK07R | 01/11/1997 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVEG |
| Lang Rd, Alvaston, Derby | SK33R | 30/04/1997 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COZL9 |
| Linacre Resr (Fagus Plantation) (site not precise) | SK37G | 17/08/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVBQ |
| Deerlands Rd, Ashgate, Chesterfield | SK37K | 30/08/1993 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP126 |