4.014 BF98  – Buckthorn Dot – Stigmella catharticella – (Stainton, 1853) Adult Micro:  CAT 4 – Dissection required – Gen-Det-Reqd       Leaf-miner:  CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – reared and possibly dissected       Larval Case:  C1 – Distinctive Species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Black – Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data        purple – Leaf-miner
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Nepticulidae  >> Nepticulinae
** Identification write-up required **
Other Name/s: Buckthorn Pigmy
ID Difficulty:  Red – difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
ID pointers: No information available at this time
Distribution:  (First record: 23 October 2023 at Carver's Rocks )  –  (Last record: 29 October 2025 at Sunnydale LNR, Derby )  –  Restricted to areas where the foodplant may exist. Uncertain in Derbyshire with first vice county record on 30/9/2023 Carver’s Rocks.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: May /  June /  July /  August /  September –  Two generations May – June and July – September Mine Period:  June /  July /  September /  October
Mine Period Additional: The tenated mines can be difficult to find on the food plant. Long straight slender gallery, turning into a series of ‘S’ turns. Frass and larva match colour of leaf.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
 – but can be disturbed during the day Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Graham Finch, Andrew-John Shervill  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 29 October 2025 by TD ***
Wingspan: 5-6mm
Food Plant: Buckthorn
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 2023
Last Recorded By – Andrew-John Shervill
Last Recorded General Area – Sunnydale LNR, Derby

Selected Images:  

30/9/2023 – Carver’s Rocks – Graham Finch©; 29/9/2025 – Sunnydale LNR<Derby – Andrew-John Shervill©



Occurrence Distribution From All Available Data (Adult & Immature)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Stigmella catharticella

Found 4 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Mining
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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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 – Stigmella catharticella

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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.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Stigmella catharticella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
No data returned from the database.

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Stigmella catharticella
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: Stigmella catharticella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Stigmella catharticella
AGR: 52.75%   |   Total % Change: 133.3%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Stigmella catharticella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Stigmella catharticella

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
Stigmella catharticella
( 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 - Stigmella catharticella – 4 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Sunnydale LNRSK33G28/10/20253minevc57_irecords_extract
Sunnydale LNRSK33G29/09/20253minevc57_irecords_extract
Markham Vale North TipSK47L28/09/20251minevc57_irecords_extract
Carver's RocksSK32G30/09/20231Minevc57_irecords_extract

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