35.056 BF724 – Burdock Seedhead Moth – Metzneria lappella – (Linnaeus, 1758)
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 
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Metzneria aestivella (Carline Seedhead Moth); Metzneria metzneriella (Knapweed Seedhead Moth)
ID pointers: Forewing is sandy brown mottled with a variety of darker markings especially towards the base. Greyish-brown veins and blackish dots at about a half and again at a two thirds, but can be absent.
Distribution: (Last record: 10 June 2025 at Cromford ) – Likely uncommon – recorded from scattered locations across the recording area; Sawley 1981; 1982; many bred from seeds 1983; (Harrison & Sterling); 1992-2012 6 records; 6 records 2019-2024 (iRecord); 17/7/2024 Ashford Marble Mill (DaNES)
Cromford 10/6/2025
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 7 November 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford
Selected Images:
Belper – (2023) Dave Evans©; Kings Newton (2019) Will Soar© / Cromford (2025) Clive Ashton©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1992 - 2025) | Immatures: (between 2010 - 2010)
(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 Metzneria lappella
Found 12 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 8 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 8 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 – Metzneria lappella
⚠️ 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:
Metzneria lappella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Metzneria lappella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Metzneria lappella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Metzneria lappella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Metzneria lappella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Metzneria lappella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Metzneria lappella
Metzneria lappella
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 - Metzneria lappella – 12 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 10/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC42212916 |
| Ashford Marble Mill | SK16Z | 17/07/2024 | 1 | adult | Steven Bell | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40548679 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 23/06/2024 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36609565 |
| Belper | SK34U | 21/06/2023 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35314978 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 17/07/2019 | 2 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34060072 |
| Midway Rd,Midway,Swadlincote | SK32A | 07/07/2012 | 1 | Adult | M.J. Williams | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COUBL |
| Lathkill Dale | SK16Y | 04/09/2010 | 1 | Larvae | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6LR |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 10/07/2009 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41990986 |
| Midway Rd,Midway,Swadlincote | SK32A | 10/07/2009 | 1 | Adult | M.J. Williams | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COSU8 |
| Far Cross,Cavendish Park,Matlock | SK36A | 11/06/2007 | 3 | Adult | B.L. Statham | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COWC3 |
| Foremark Resr, Ticknall | SK32H | 09/07/2005 | 1 | Adult | A. Davison;N. Topliss;W. Soar | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP2MW |
| Deerlands Rd, Ashgate, Chesterfield | SK37K | 10/06/1992 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COV89 |