45.009 BF1503  –  Pterophoridae –  Pterophorinae – Gillmeria ochrodactyla – Tansy Plume – ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Confusion Species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Pterophoridae  >> Pterophorinae
Other Name/s: Platyptilia ochrodactyla
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  G.pallidactyla
ID pointers: Very similar to P.pallidactyla, except this species has the hind-leg banded brown and white below the middle spurs, and is often more distinctly marked on the forewing.
Distribution:  (Last record: 30 July 2024 at Inkersall )  –  Nationally Scarce B – Uncommon but may be under-recorded, with so few records received. Seems to be very localised despite plenty of the food-plant (Tansy) being fairly widespread. 
Flight Period: June /  July /  August /  –  On the wing in late June – August. Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Marion Bryce  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 24-28mm
Food Plant: Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare).
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Don Cambridge
Last Recorded General Area – Inkersall

Selected Images:  Toton Sidings,Notts/Derbyshire – Grid Ref indicates VC57 – Marion Bryce© 



Distribution Map for Gillmeria ochrodactyla

Found 11 records
    ↳ 0 from After 2025
    ↳ 7 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 4 from Before 2020
Flying
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 – Gillmeria ochrodactyla

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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: Gillmeria ochrodactyla
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


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


CUSUM Analysis: Gillmeria ochrodactyla
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 19 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 8 (August) 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 2003, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2003, 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: Gillmeria ochrodactyla
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Gillmeria ochrodactyla
( 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.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Gillmeria ochrodactyla – 11 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Staveley DerbyshireSK47H04/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Inkersall gardenSK47G30/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Toton SidingsSK43X29/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Markham Vale DerbyshireSK47L05/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staveley DerbyshireSK47H06/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staveley DerbyshireSK47H20/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staveley DerbyshireSK47H19/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Back Lane, GlapwellSK46T01/08/20191adultDanes_2019-2021
Midway Rd,Midway,SwadlincoteSK32A12/07/20081Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Beeley Moor, BeeleySK26Y04/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y08/08/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

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