Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species – 
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce 
– Leaf Miner
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Elachista luticomella (Yellow-headed Grass-miner); Elachista apicipunctella (Pearly Grass-miner); Elachista stabilella (Southern Grass-miner):
ID pointers: The forewing is a greyish-black with a feint whitish cross-band from costa to about one third to the dorsum at about a half, sometimes absent. There are several white spots one each either side the forewing towards the apex/tornal area. The main feature is a white head and neck tufts, which is where it gets its name.
Distribution: (Last record: 13 March 2025 at Staveley ) – Very few records since 1996 – latest 13/6/2023 Staveley & Bakewell
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: None.
Mine ID Difficulty:
– Mine cannot be identified without breeding through and then adult may need to be examined by Gen Det Prep. Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Stem
Mine Comment: Larvae mine a variety of grasses from September through to May
*** Last updated on 3 January 2026 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2023
Last Recorded By – Sid Morris
Last Recorded General Area – Staveley
Selected Images:
Shirland – Nikki Mahadevan© / 2022 Gen Det Prep Kinder Bank – The late Claire Miles©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Elachista albifrontella
Found 9 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 5 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 5 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 – Elachista albifrontella
⚠️ 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:
Elachista albifrontella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Elachista albifrontella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Elachista albifrontella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Elachista albifrontella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Elachista albifrontella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Elachista albifrontella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Elachista albifrontella
Elachista albifrontella
( 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.
Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Elachista albifrontella
Elachista albifrontella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Mine 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 mine periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen mining, from site observation records received between 2020-2026.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Elachista albifrontella – 9 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staveley Derbyshire | SK47H | 13/06/2023 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Peak District National Park, Bakewell, England, GB | SK26I | 13/06/2023 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| UK, Derbyshire, Hayfield, Kinder Bank | SK08N | 16/06/2022 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Staveley Derbyshire | SK47H | 13/06/2022 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Jim Mart Nature Reserve | SK36S | 13/06/2018 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Shirland - Hallfieldgate Lane | SK35Z | 03/07/2016 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Millennium Meadow NR, Duffield | SK34L | 19/05/2013 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Millers Dale (west of Litton Mill) | SK17L | 05/07/1997 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Priestcliffe Lees (Comp W), Taddington | SK17L | 06/07/1996 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |