15.006 BF284 - Gracillariidae - Gracillariinae - Caloptilia rufipennella
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 – reared and possibly dissected      
PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce        purple – Leaf-miner
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Gracillariidae  >> Gracillariinae
Other Name/s: Small Red Slender
ID Difficulty:  amber  – 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
Flight Period: April /  May /  July /  August –  Moths emerge in July and over winter as adult, so can then be seen in April – May Mine Period:  July /  September
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.
Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Will Soar  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 11-12mm
Food Plant: Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanua)
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford

Selected Images:  Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Will Soar ©

 
 


Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1993 - 2024)  |  Immatures: (between 2001 - 2022)
(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 Caloptilia rufipennella

Found 31 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 7 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 24 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

If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.

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

⚠️ Please wait for the map to load fully – do not click the link shown.


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.

Visit NBN Site


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

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

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

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
( 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
Howden Resr SK19L 25/08/2010 1 Larval Mine S.H. Hind vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001CP08T
Slippery Stones,Upper Derwent SK19S 25/08/2010 1 Larval Mine S.H. Hind vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001COXI4
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

 
Scroll to Top