20.02 BF419 – Purple-washed Tip Moth – Argyresthia semifusca – Haworth, 1828)
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
** Identification write up required
**
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Argyresthia spinosella (Blackthorn Tip Moth); Argyresthia conjugella (Apple Fruit Moth)
Distribution: (Last record: 27 July 2025 at Kings Newton ) – Harrison & Sterling – 1916 common around Repton Shrubs, 1985 Long Eaton, Dale of Goyt 1947-1956; DaNES 2 in 1994, 1 in 2016. iRecord 2017 & 2022
Possibly under recorded or very scarce. Status uncertain.
General Comment: None Possibly under recorded or very scarce. Status uncertain.
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Will Soar
Last Recorded General Area – Kings Newton
Selected Images:
Kings Newton (2025) Tony Davison©
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1994 - 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 semifusca
Found 10 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 6 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 6 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 – Argyresthia semifusca
⚠️ 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 semifusca
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Argyresthia semifusca
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Argyresthia semifusca
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Argyresthia semifusca
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Argyresthia semifusca
AGR: 2.08% | Total % Change: 33.3%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Argyresthia semifusca
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Argyresthia semifusca
Argyresthia semifusca
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 semifusca – 10 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markham Vale South Tip Perimeter | SK47K | 02/09/2025 | 2 | adult | Radford, Mark | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45083094 |
| King's Newton | SK32Y | 29/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48470446 |
| King's Newton | SK32Y | 27/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48469911 |
| Waingroves Wood Bat and Moth Night | SK44E | 20/08/2022 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33494954 |
| Waingroves Woods | SK44E | 05/08/2017 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33504031 |
| Wood Lane,Newhall,Swadlincote | SK22V | 05/08/2016 | 1 | Adult | Dave Budworth | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COZI3 |
| Backgarden Marehay | SK34Z | 31/08/2011 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33513985 |
| Bamford St,Ripley | SK34Z | 31/08/2011 | 1 | Adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COXZA |
| Hell Bank Plantation (site not precise) | SK26Z | 19/06/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVAF |
| Hell Bank Plantation (site not precise) | SK26Z | 14/06/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVA0 |