Leaf-miner: CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – 
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Leaf Miner
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Caloptilia populetorum(Black-dot Stilt);Caloptilia cuculipennella (Privet Stilt);Caloptilia hemidactylella (Scarce Maple Stilt)
ID pointers: This species has a differing spring and summer form (seasonally dimorphic). The summer form shows a sharply defined yellowish costal blotch and in appearance resembles other Caloptilia species. In the spring form (over-wintered) however this feature is feint or absent except for a dark basal area that contrasts with the rest of the moths forewing and gives it an almost cloak-like appearance. The ground colours range from reddish-brow to greyish-brown tones. Given this is the spring form, and on the basis of the food plant being close by and the lack of any confusion species at this time of year, the moth is accepted on the superb photograph attached.
Distribution: (First record: 24 March 2025 at Glossop ) – (Last record: 24 March 2025 at Glossop ) – A new species for the VC57 & Derbyshire – One recorded from Glossop to MV Light 24th March 2025 – Alder Woodland in Herod Clough that is part of the Long Clough Nature Reserve.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: On Alder – mining the leaf at first then creating several folds along the leaf edge 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: 2025
First Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Glossop
Selected Images:
Glossop (2025) first record for VC57 & Derbyshire – Christian Heintzen©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Caloptilia falconipennella
Found 2 records
↳ 2 from After 2025
↳ 0 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 0 from Before 2020
↳ 2 from After 2025
↳ 0 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 0 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 falconipennella
⚠️ 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.
Monthly Records By Year:
Caloptilia falconipennella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Caloptilia falconipennella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Caloptilia falconipennella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Caloptilia falconipennella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Caloptilia falconipennella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Caloptilia falconipennella
Insufficient records/data for an AGR analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2025
Caloptilia falconipennella
Insufficient records/data for a CUSUM analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2025
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Caloptilia falconipennella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Caloptilia falconipennella
Caloptilia falconipennella
( data includes Adult Stage only )
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 2020-2025.
Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Caloptilia falconipennella
Caloptilia falconipennella
( 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 2020-2025.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Caloptilia falconipennella – 2 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 10/04/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Long Clough/Herod Clough | SK09G | 24/03/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |