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35.039 BF788  – Satin Moss-moth  – Bryotropha politella  – Stainton, 1851)
Adult Micro:  CAT 4 – Dissection required – Gen-Det-Reqd       Leaf-miner:  CAT A – Recorded accepted without the leaf or a photo –       Larval Case:  C1 – Distinctive Species –      
PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Black – Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Gelechiidae  >> Anomologinae
Other Name/s: Polished Neb
ID Difficulty:  Red – difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Bryotropha desertella (Coast Moss-moth); Bryotropha terrella (Brown Moss-moth)
ID pointers: The adult males are brownish-grey with several darker spots, and females are similar, though paler. Both sexes often show a sheen to the forewings
Distribution:  (Last record: 1957 at Dovedale )  –  Uncertain – no modern day records – Harrison & Sterling 1988 list records  from the Derbyshire Dales, Dovedale 7/7/1927, 23/6/1957 , Millers Dale 1947-56. 
General Comment: None
Flight Period: May /  June /  July  – but can be disturbed during the day Photographed: No –  Photographed By: Not Recorded
*** Last updated on 5 April 2026 by TD ***
Wingspan: 12-16mm
Food Plant: Thought to be grasses and moss
Last Recorded Year: 1957
Last Recorded By – Harrison & Sterling 1988
Last Recorded General Area – Dovedale

Selected Images:  



Temporal Distribution Chart
(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 Bryotropha politella

No records found
Flying
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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 – Bryotropha politella

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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.

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Monthly Records By Year: Bryotropha politella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Bryotropha politella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )

First/Last Recorded Dates: Bryotropha politella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

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Recordings By Year: Bryotropha politella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Bryotropha politella
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%
Bryotropha politella
Insufficient records/data for an AGR analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2026

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Bryotropha politella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Bryotropha politella

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 - Bryotropha politella – 0 records available

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

No records found for Bryotropha politella.

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