Argyresthia dilectella       Argyresthia brockeella
20.007 BF409b  –  Argyresthiidae – Argyresthia cupressella – Cypress-tip Moth – (Walsingham, 1890) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Confusion 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     day-flying – Day-flying
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Argyresthiidae
Other Name/s: Cypress Tip Moth
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
ID pointers: Tiny but distinctive with a shining golden and white mottled upper-wing and golden thorax and a white head. Banded antennae. 
Distribution:  (Last record: 26 June 2024 at Belper )  –  This little moth was not recorded in Britain until 1997. Originating from North America has most probably been introduced with its food plant, ornamental conifers – Cypress and Juniper. Derbyshire status uncommon few but widespread records
Flight Period: June /  July /  –  On the wing in June & July. Mine Period: August /  September /  October /  Moth Activity: Cathemeral   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Dave Evans  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 27 July 2025 by TD ***
Wingspan: 8-9mm
 Food Plant: Cypress & Juniper.
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Dave Evans
Last Recorded General Area – Belper
IMAGES BELOW:  Belper, Derbyshire – Dave Evans ©

20.007 BF409b - Argyresthiidae - Argyresthia cupressella
Argyresthia cupressella – Cypress-tip moth – Dave Evans
20.007 BF409b - Argyresthiidae - Argyresthia cupressella

 
 

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Distribution Map for Argyresthia cupressella

Found 41 records
    ↳ 12 from After 2025
    ↳ 27 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 2 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.

******* Choose ONLY one at a time, of either Monad, Tetrad or Hectad Distribution - each has it's own set of data. Also, the distribution maps cover ALL recorded data. *******

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.

Land-cover * shows the variety of land-cover within the VC57 area, based on the CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) forty-four thematic classes of land-cover. This will show, to a greater or lesser degree, the number and variety of moths found in different land-cover types. The UK continues to operate within the Copernicus programme, with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) providing Corine Land Cover (CLC) datasets for the UK and its territories.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Argyresthia cupressella

⚠️ 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: Argyresthia cupressella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Argyresthia cupressella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Argyresthia cupressella
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: Argyresthia cupressella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Argyresthia cupressella
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%


CUSUM Analysis: Argyresthia cupressella
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 19 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 8 (August) 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 2017, 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: Argyresthia cupressella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Argyresthia cupressella
( 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
Argyresthia cupressella
( 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 - Argyresthia cupressella – 41 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Buxton (p)SK07R12/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34U14/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A14/06/20254adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A16/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A19/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Chaddesden GardenSK33T11/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Mickleover gardenSK33C11/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A31/05/20253adultvc57_irecords_extract
Mickleover gardenSK33C20/05/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Mickleover gardenSK33C29/05/20252adultvc57_irecords_extract
Mickleover gardenSK33C30/05/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Chaddesden, DerbySK33T27/05/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Darley BridgeSK26Q04/07/20241Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staveley DerbyshireSK47H02/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34U23/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34U26/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Norton Lees, Sheffield (VC)SK38L24/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A11/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A17/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R17/05/20242adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R24/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
King's NewtonSK32Y15/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F24/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern GardenSK33A10/06/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34U18/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Mickleover gardenSK33C27/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P01/08/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P11/08/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A06/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R08/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R04/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R15/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R26/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Midway, Derbys.SK32A22/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
The Mays, Malthouse Lane, FroggattSK27N13/07/20201adultDanes_2019-2021
Norton LeesSK38L15/06/20201adultDanes_2019-2021
The Mays, Malthouse Lane, FroggattSK27N14/06/20201adultDanes_2019-2021
Woodland AveSK43R25/05/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Douglas Rd, Long EatonSK43S25/05/20201adultDanes_2019-2021
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y30/05/20171Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y31/05/20172Adultvc57_irecords_extract

 
Argyresthia dilectella       Argyresthia brockeella

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