35.058 BF726  –  Gelechiidae –  Anomologinae – Metzneria metzneriella – Knapweed Seedhead Moth – (Stainton, 1851) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Gelechiidae  >> Anomologinae
Other Name/s: Meadow Neb
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  M. lappella, M. metzneriella
ID pointers: Small long & slender in appearance. Yellowish brown with reddish-brown shading along the costa with greyish highlighted veins. A series of blackish dots running in pairs across each forewing.
Distribution:  Appears to be common in the right habitat with many scattered records from across Derbyshire. Possibly under-recorded – 21 records between 1996-2014 (DaNES) and 10 record 2010-2023 (iRecord)
General Comment: None
Flight Period: June /  July /  August –  On the wing during in June – August. Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Rowan Wakefield; Steve Thorpe  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 14-19mm
Food Plant: Common Knapweed.
Specific Recorded History Dates for Common [Blue code Blue-coded] moths is not displayed/updated in this tab. However, all verified records for this moth are listed in the RECORDS tab below.

Selected Images:  Buxton, Derbyshire – Rowan Wakefield ©/ Ripley – Steve Thorpe©

 


Distribution Map for Metzneria metzneriella

Found 41 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 12 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 29 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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 – Metzneria metzneriella

⚠️ 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: Metzneria metzneriella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


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

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Metzneria metzneriella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Metzneria metzneriella
( 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 2020-2026.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Metzneria metzneriella – 41 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
sheffieldSK38M13/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S13/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Chaddesden, DerbySK33T13/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ashford Marble MillSK16Z25/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S12/06/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft AveSK07S11/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft AveSK07S30/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ferneydale AvenueSK07Q16/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ferneydale AvenueSK07Q26/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ferneydale AvenueSK07Q13/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P21/06/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S15/06/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft AveSK07S06/07/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft AveSK07S06/07/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Smalley Green, HeanorSK44B27/06/20143Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Buxton SK, UKSK07S15/06/20141Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft AveSK07S13/06/20141adultvc57_irecords_extract
Bamford St,RipleySK34Z16/07/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z05/07/20121adultvc57_irecords_extract
Bamford St,RipleySK34Z05/07/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z27/06/20121adultvc57_irecords_extract
Bamford St,RipleySK34Z27/06/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Buxton SK, UKSK07S15/06/20111Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Raven's Tor (scrub/grassland), WirksworthSK25X31/05/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P28/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P28/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y07/07/20101Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P06/07/201010Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P06/07/201019Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P06/07/20106Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P06/07/201050Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P06/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Rose Av,ClowneSK57D26/06/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P12/06/201010Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P12/06/20109Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P12/06/201013Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P12/06/20103Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Biggin Dale, nr HartingtonSK15P12/06/20104Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Stoney MiddletonSK27H14/06/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Millers Dale (west of Litton Mill), TideswellSK17L05/07/19971Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Cressbrook Dale, WardlowSK17R20/07/19961Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

 
Scroll to Top