19.011 BF473 – Leek Moth – Acrolepiopsis assectella – (Zeller, 1839)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Leaf-miner: CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – 
Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species –
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species – – 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. Confusion Species: Similar to other Acrolepiopsis sp.
ID pointers: The forewing is a greyish brown with scattered dark brown and whitish markings. A distinct white triangular mark about half way along the folded wing and further mottling of white in the terminal area of the wing.
Distribution: (Last record: 23 August 2024 at Ilkeston ) – Not listed in Harrison & Sterling (1988) – A nationally local species spreading northwards. Generally widespread but uncommon and likely to be local in the county where leek, onion or chives are grown.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: None.
Mine ID Difficulty:
– Mine cannot be identified without breeding through and then adult may need to be examined by Gen Det Prep. Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: Once the larvae hatch they immediately begin mining the leaves of Allium plants, such as leek, onion, garlic. Initially feeding internally and creating corridors or blotch mines. The larvae produce characteristic “windowpane” damage where they eat the inner leaf tissue, leaving the outer epidermis intact.
*** Last updated on 15 March 2026 by TD ***
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Brian Hobby
Last Recorded General Area – Ilkeston
Selected Images: Findern, Derbyshire – Brian Hallam ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2018 - 2026)
(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 Acrolepiopsis assectella
Found 38 records
↳ 1 from 2026+
↳ 35 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 2 from Before 2020
↳ 1 from 2026+
↳ 35 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 2 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 – Acrolepiopsis assectella
⚠️ 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:
Acrolepiopsis assectella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Acrolepiopsis assectella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Acrolepiopsis assectella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Acrolepiopsis assectella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Acrolepiopsis assectella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Acrolepiopsis assectella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Acrolepiopsis assectella
Acrolepiopsis assectella
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
Acrolepiopsis assectella
Acrolepiopsis assectella
( 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 - Acrolepiopsis assectella – 38 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staveley garden SYA | SK47H | 08/04/2026 | 1 | adult | Radford, Mark | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC51436157 |
| Chaddesden, Derby | SK33T | 23/08/2025 | 1 | adult | roome, martin | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44885966 |
| Belper | SK34N | 28/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43948642 |
| Staveley garden SYA | SK47H | 21/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Radford, Mark | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43714608 |
| Derby DE | SK33I | 14/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43638947 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 20/03/2025 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40484865 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 01/09/2024 | 1 | adult | Hallam, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39935073 |
| Ilkeston, Derbyshire | SK44K | 23/08/2024 | 2 | adult | Hobby, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38197323 |
| Belper | SK34U | 12/08/2024 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC37871275 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 05/08/2024 | 1 | adult | Hallam, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39934820 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 03/08/2024 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39954680 |
| Belper | SK34U | 20/07/2024 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC37244282 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 09/07/2024 | 1 | adult | Hallam, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39934569 |
| Sandiacre | SK43T | 13/04/2024 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC37895816 |
| Ilkeston, Derbyshire | SK44K | 11/04/2024 | 1 | adult | Hobby, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35603689 |
| Sandiacre, Derbyshire | SK43S | 05/04/2024 | 1 | adult | paul buxton | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35327807 |
| Mickleover garden | SK33C | 14/03/2024 | 1 | adult | Maughan, Christine | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36239826 |
| Woodland Avenue Mothtrap | SK43R | 12/03/2024 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35298550 |
| Sandiacre | SK43T | 19/11/2023 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34681536 |
| Belper Garden | SK34P | 08/09/2023 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34544606 |
| Belper | SK34U | 29/08/2023 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35298061 |
| Kings Newton Fields | SK32Y | 03/08/2023 | 3 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34880665 |
| Findern Garden | SK33A | 30/06/2023 | 1 | Adult | Hallam, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34637825 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 05/08/2022 | 1 | adult | Brian and Jean Hallam | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35167460 |
| Sandiacre | SK43T | 10/06/2022 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35176410 |
| Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston | SK44K | 15/04/2022 | 1 | adult | Hobby, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41045625 |
| Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston | SK44K | 25/03/2022 | 1 | adult | Hobby, Brian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41045598 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 05/09/2021 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33499477 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 23/06/2021 | 1 | adult | Brian and Jean Hallam | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35164856 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 03/09/2020 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059906 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 10/08/2020 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC46320907 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 09/08/2020 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33502015 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 07/08/2020 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059907 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 06/08/2020 | 2 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33501949 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 24/06/2020 | 1 | adult | Brian and Jean Hallam | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35162930 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 10/04/2020 | 1 | adult | Brian and Jean Hallam | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35162191 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 21/03/2019 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059908 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 19/07/2018 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059909 |