20.019 BF418 – Apple Fruit Moth – Argyresthia conjugella – (Zeller, 1839)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species –
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data 
– Day-flying
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: A.spinosella; A.semifusca
ID pointers: Typical form shows forewing greyish brown with a purplish reflection. Creamy white along the dorsum, interrupted by a darker brown oblique cross-band at one half and scattered whitish scales. There is also a shining unicolorous brown form aerariella.
Distribution: (Last record: 6 June 2019 at Jim Mart NR ) – Widespread and common to abundant among Rowan throughout the UK. Due to insufficient data status in the county is uncertain/unknown. Likely to be common where the food plant exists
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2019
Last Recorded By – Nikki Mahadevan
Last Recorded General Area – Jim Mart NR
Selected Images: Buxton, Derbyshire – Steve Orridge ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1905 - 2025)
(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 Argyresthia conjugella
Found 23 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 13 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 10 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 13 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 10 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 – Argyresthia conjugella
⚠️ 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:
Argyresthia conjugella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Argyresthia conjugella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Argyresthia conjugella
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 conjugella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Argyresthia conjugella
AGR: -3.58% | Total % Change: -50%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Argyresthia conjugella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Argyresthia conjugella
Argyresthia conjugella
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.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Argyresthia conjugella – 23 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Vale | SK08I | 23/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Hewitt, Jane | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC47544805 |
| Ladycroft Ave, Buxton | SK07S | 10/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43626733 |
| Ferneydale Avenue | SK07Q | 21/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Wakefield, Rowan | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC51122331 |
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 20/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC42503758 |
| Ladycroft Ave, Buxton | SK07S | 14/07/2024 | 1 | adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC37492347 |
| Belper Garden | SK34P | 07/07/2023 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34544160 |
| Darwin Forest | SK26X | 27/06/2023 | 2 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35295915 |
| Darwin Forest | SK26X | 26/06/2023 | 2 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35295692 |
| Belper | SK34U | 25/06/2023 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35315010 |
| Buxton SK, UK | SK07S | 18/07/2022 | 1 | Adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC28760938 |
| Hathersage, Derbyshire, UK | SK28F | 10/07/2022 | 1 | adult | Miles, Claire | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC28601682 |
| Hathersage, Derbyshire, UK | SK28F | 03/07/2022 | 1 | adult | Miles, Claire | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC28644674 |
| Hathersage, Derbyshire, UK | SK28F | 19/06/2021 | 1 | adult | Miles, Claire | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC29593964 |
| Jim Mart Nature Reserve | SK36S | 06/06/2019 | 1 | Adult | Mahadevan, Nikki | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34919016 |
| Ashover, Derbyshire | SK36L | 22/05/2014 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC12916143 |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 05/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | D. Grundy | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COX5X |
| Ogston Carr Wood,nr Ogston Res | SK35U | 12/07/2006 | 2 | Adult | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP36E |
| Priestcliffe Lees (Comp W), Taddington | SK17L | 06/07/1996 | 1 | Adult | R.F. Botterill | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP19M |
| Linacre Resr (north side) (site not precise) | SK37G | 20/08/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP152 |
| Linacre Resr (Fagus Plantation) (site not precise) | SK37G | 17/08/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVBP |
| Deerlands Rd, Ashgate, Chesterfield | SK37K | 20/07/1993 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COQRV |
| Repton Shrubs, Repton (site not precise) | SK32B | 03/04/1905 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COQH8 |
| Repton Shrubs, Repton (site not precise) | SK32B | 30/03/1905 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COQGV |