4.099 BF34  – Large Birch Dot – Ectoedemia occultella – (Linnaeus, 1767) 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
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce        purple – Leaf-miner
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Nepticulidae  >> Nepticulinae
Other Name/s: Large Birch Pigmy
ID Difficulty:  Red – difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Ectoedemia minimella; Ectoedemia atricollis
ID pointers: Very similar to Ectoedemia atricollis; appears to be slightly paler in colour tones. The adults are quite large for a Nepticulid, and have blackish forewings with a hint of violet, and contrasting whitish central band and eye-caps. The males have black heads, those of the female orange or yellow.
Distribution:  (Last record: 24 November 2025 at Glossop, Gnat Hole )  –  Uncertain due to insufficient data – Leaf Mines at Glossop 2025,  King’s Newton 2024, Buxton,  Grange Wood 2018 and Calke October 2008. Suspect the mine is under recorded and common where the food plant exists.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: May /  June /  July –  One generation May- July Mine Period:  August /  September /  October
Mine Period Additional: None.
Mine ID Difficulty:  Green Mine Leaf – Easy to identify, generally the leaf mine is distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
Mine Type/s:  Blotch
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: The larvae form a distinctive leaf mine in the leaves of birch, beginning as a dark circular blotch, then extending to a larger pale blotch and frass in grains. Sometimes several mines in one leaf. The egg is laid on the underside of a leaf. 
Moth Activity: Cathemeral   – occasionally attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tom Shields; Steve Orridge, Christian Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 8 December 2025 by TD ***
Wingspan: 5-7mm
Food Plant: Birch
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Glossop, Gnat Hole

Selected Images:  

Kings Newton – 28/10/2024 – Tom Shields© / Buxton – Steve Orridge© / Glossop 25/10/2025 & 24/11/2025 – Christian Heintzen©



Monthly Occurrence For Years Below
Immatures: (between 2001 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Ectoedemia occultella

Found 22 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 5 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 17 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 – Ectoedemia occultella

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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: Ectoedemia occultella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
No data returned from the database.

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Ectoedemia occultella
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: Ectoedemia occultella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Ectoedemia occultella
AGR: 14.59%   |   Total % Change: 2525%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Ectoedemia occultella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Ectoedemia occultella

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
Ectoedemia occultella
( 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 - Ectoedemia occultella – 22 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageRecorderSourceRecordKey
Glossop, Gnat HoleSK09G24/11/20253Leaf-mineHeintzen, Christianvc57_irecords_extractiBRC47521400
Glossop, Shawmoor PlantationSK09F25/10/20251Leaf-mineHeintzen, Christianvc57_irecords_extractiBRC47521374
Glossop, Gnat HoleSK09G17/10/20251Leaf-mineHeintzen, Christianvc57_irecords_extractiBRC47521367
Markham Vale, Hall Lane PondSK47H05/10/2025100mineRadford, Markvc57_irecords_extractiBRC45797696
King's NewtonSK32Y28/10/202410mineTOM SHIELDSvc57_irecords_extractiBRC39158601
Grange WoodSK21S13/09/20181MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35106431
River Derwent, Hope Valley, England, GBSK18U16/10/20111LarvaDave Shentonvc57_irecords_extractiBRC39252529
Millers DaleSK17G03/09/20111Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP7LC
Ladybower ResrSK18U03/09/20101Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COXJB
Howden ResrSK19S25/08/20101Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COXHS
Slippery Stones,Upper DerwentSK19S25/08/20101Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COXI6
Howden ResrSK19L25/08/20101Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP08V
Padley Gorge, Nether PadleySK27P19/08/20101Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP6HL
Linacre WoodSK37G13/10/20091Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COWZU
HopeSK18R07/10/20091Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COSZ9
NorburySK14G02/10/20091LarvaOrridge, Stevevc57_irecords_extractiBRC38850710
NorburySK14G01/10/20091Larval MineDave Budworth;S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP538
CastletonSK18L10/09/20091Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COWX0
Calke ParkSK32L25/10/20081MineFinch, Graham Leonardvc57_irecords_extractiBRC35105475
Calke Park,TicknallSK32R25/10/20081Larval MineVC57 Derbyshire Recordervc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001COSOC
Brackley Gate, nr CoxbenchSK34W03/11/20011Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP1FK
Cubley, nr AshbourneSK13U04/10/20011Larval MineS.H. Hindvc57_danes_bc_dataLC000334001CP1F2

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