Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species – 
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data 
– Leaf Miner
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: One of three very similar phyllocnistis species
ID pointers: The upper surface of the mine has a snail-like trail which is long and winding with no frass visible and can cover the whole leaf. The egg is normally found under the leaf. The Mine shown in the photograph is on Populus nigra (Black Poplar). Also found on Populas italica (Lombardy Poplar) and Populus trichocarpa (Black Cottonwood). A tiny whitish moth, with some yellowish suffusion, with a distinct black spot near the wing apex, along with several brownish wavy lines.
Distribution: (Last record: 28 October 2025 at King George Playing Fields Derby ) – Nationally a common species – Derbyshire status uncertain/unknown due to so few records, but probably reasonable common on Populus species – Leaf Mines are recorded
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The upper surface of the mine has a snail-like trail which is long and winding with no frass visible and can cover the whole leaf. The egg is normally found under the leaf.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 4 November 2025 by TD ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Andrew John Shervill
Last Recorded General Area – King George Playing Fields Derby
Selected Images: Dave Evans © – July 21st 2021 – Belper / Dave Evans© Sept 12th 2024 – Belper / Derby 28th Oct 2025 – Andrew John Shervill©
Image Gallery
Distribution Map for Phyllocnistis unipunctella
Found 11 records
↳ 2 from After 2025
↳ 3 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 6 from Before 2020
↳ 2 from After 2025
↳ 3 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 6 from Before 2020
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 – Phyllocnistis unipunctella
⚠️ 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:
Phyllocnistis unipunctella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Phyllocnistis unipunctella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Phyllocnistis unipunctella
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: Phyllocnistis unipunctella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Phyllocnistis unipunctella
AGR: 35.11% | Total % Change: 4900%
CUSUM Analysis: Phyllocnistis unipunctella
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 20 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.
Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 9 (September) to provide a full-year equivalent.
ⓘ
Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year)
Trough (worst year)
Growth periods
Decline periods
Population peaked around 2025, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2024, showing a significant decline.
What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Phyllocnistis unipunctella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Phyllocnistis unipunctella
Phyllocnistis unipunctella
( 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
Phyllocnistis unipunctella
Phyllocnistis unipunctella
( 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 - Phyllocnistis unipunctella – 11 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyhill Park, Derby | SK33L | 23/09/2025 | 50 | mine | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Sunny Hill, Derby, Derby | SK33L | 29/08/2025 | 50 | mine | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Belper | SK34N | 12/09/2024 | 1 | mine (empty) | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Melbourne, Derbyshire | SK42D | 26/07/2023 | 5 | mine | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Former Saint-Gobain Pipeworks, Staveley [centroid] | SK47C | 30/08/2020 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Albert Village Lake | SK31D | 21/09/2019 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Derby (Bass Recreation Ground) | SK33T | 02/08/2012 | 1 | Larval Mine | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Holme Hall, Cutthorpe, nr Chesterfield | SK37L | 16/08/1994 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Deerlands Rd, Ashgate, Chesterfield | SK37K | 24/04/1994 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Holly Wood NR, nr Ashbourne | SK14R | 01/09/1984 | 1 | Larval Mine | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Repton area (site not precise) | SK32B | 01/01/1905 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |