40.004 BF888  –  Momphidae – Mompha propinquella – White-headed Mompha – (Stainton, 1851) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Confusion Species –       Leaf-miner:  CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – reared and possibly dissected       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce        purple – Leaf Miner
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Momphidae
Other Name/s: Marbled Mompha / Marbled cosmet
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  M.lacteella
ID pointers: As with all the Mompha species they are colourful, attractive and distinctive. They rest low and flat in a horizontal position. Often have scale tufts. Head and thorax white. Forewing is brownish-grey to blackish-brown, with reddish-brown blotches and two large black scale tufts half way along the wing.
Distribution:  (Last record: 17 June 2025 at Cromford )  –  Local but widespread in the county. Larvae on Broad-leaved Willow-herb.May be under recorded
Flight Period: June /  July /  August /  September /  –  On the wing June – September  – The larvae mine the stem and then the leaves of Willowherbs. The larvae overwinter. Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Dave Evans, Clive Ashton  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 11-13mm
Food Plant: Willowherbs (Epilobium spp.)
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford

Selected Images:  Belper, Derbyshire – Dave Evans©/ Cromford (2025) Clive Ashton©



Distribution Map for Mompha propinquella

Found 53 records
    ↳ 16 from After 2025
    ↳ 17 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 20 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

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 – Mompha propinquella

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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: Mompha propinquella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Mompha propinquella
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: Mompha propinquella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Mompha propinquella
AGR: 0.29%   |   Total % Change: 6.3%


CUSUM Analysis: Mompha propinquella
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 11 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.

Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 9 (September) to provide a full-year equivalent.

Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year) Trough (worst year) Growth periods Decline periods
Population peaked around 2025, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2024, showing a significant decline.

What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Mompha propinquella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Mompha propinquella
( 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 2020-2025.

Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Mompha propinquella
( 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 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Mompha propinquella – 53 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Midway, Derbys.SK32A24/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Jim Mart Nature ReserveSK36S17/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y14/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y12/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34N11/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34U09/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hognaston, DerbsSK25F08/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Littleover, DerbySK33G01/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staveley DerbyshireSK47H28/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S18/07/20252adultvc57_irecords_extract
Belper, DerbyshireSK34N18/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y17/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S16/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S08/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y07/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y17/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Lower Cromford GardenSK25Y11/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I09/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
High Leas Farm, RiberSK35D28/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34N17/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Kings Newton FieldsSK32Y03/08/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S28/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y28/08/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S09/08/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
BelperSK34U29/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S11/07/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S16/08/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S14/08/20211Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F10/08/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R20/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I09/08/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y07/08/20201Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y05/08/20201Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Weleda Site, IlkestonSK44M07/08/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Hathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F15/07/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y15/07/20191Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Buxton SK, UKSK07S15/07/20181Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z17/08/20161Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z16/08/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ladycroft AveSK07S09/08/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z20/07/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z04/08/20141adultvc57_irecords_extract
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z25/07/20141adultvc57_irecords_extract
Shirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z05/07/20141Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z25/07/20121adultvc57_irecords_extract
Bamford St,RipleySK34Z25/07/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z28/07/20111adultvc57_irecords_extract
Bamford St,RipleySK34Z28/07/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Midway Rd,Midway,SwadlincoteSK32A02/08/20081Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Calke Park Ticknall Lime YardsSK32R03/08/20071adultvc57_irecords_extract
Ticknall Limeyards,TicknallSK32R03/08/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y26/07/20041Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y26/07/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

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