Exapate congelatella       Eana osseana
49.044 BF1025  –  Tortricidae –  Tortricinae – Tortricodes alternella – Spring Harbinger – ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) Adult Micro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive Species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Tortricidae  >> Tortricinae
Other Name/s: Winter Shade
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: Quite distinctive. Has a very narrow wing shape for a Tortrix and has a habit of rolling its wings like a cigar. Ground colour can be Silver grey-brown to yellowish brown. A pale cross-band just below the shoulders. Obscurely marked grey forms occur.
Distribution:  (Last record: 20 February 2024 at Froggatt )  –  It seems to have a patchy distribution in the county and favours Oak woodlands. One of the earliest Tortricids to be on the wing. Since 2004 to 2024 only 20 records have been reported.
Flight Period: February /  March /  April /  –  On the wing during February – April. Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison; Christian Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 7 May 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 19-23mm
 Food Plant: Oak (Quercus) and Hornbeam (Carpinus).
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Bryan Barnacle
Last Recorded General Area – Froggatt
IMAGES BELOW:  Melbourne, Derbyshire & Foremark, Derbyshire – Tony Davison© / Long Clough 2025 – Christian Heintzen©

Tortricodes alternella
Tortricodes alternella – Tony Davison
49.044 BF1025 - Tortricidae - Tortricinae - Tortricodes alternella
Tortricodes alternella – Tony Davison
Tortricodes alternella - 3rd February 2025 - Long Clough - Christian Heintzen
Tortricodes alternella – 3rd February 2025 – Long Clough – Christian Heintzen
Tortricodes alternella
49.044 BF1025 - Tortricidae - Tortricinae - Tortricodes alternella
Tortricodes alternella - 3rd February 2025 - Long Clough - Christian Heintzen

Tortricodes alternella - 3rd February 2025 - Long Clough - Christian Heintzen Tortricodes alternella - 3rd February 2025 - Long Clough - Christian Heintzen

Distribution Map for Tortricodes alternella

Found 67 records
    ↳ 4 from After 2025
    ↳ 17 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 46 from Before 2020

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.

******* Choose ONLY one at a time, of either Monad, Tetrad or Hectad Distribution - each has it's own set of data. Also, the distribution maps cover ALL recorded data. *******

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.

Land-cover * shows the variety of land-cover within the VC57 area, based on the CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) forty-four thematic classes of land-cover. This will show, to a greater or lesser degree, the number and variety of moths found in different land-cover types. The UK continues to operate within the Copernicus programme, with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) providing Corine Land Cover (CLC) datasets for the UK and its territories.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Tortricodes alternella

⚠️ 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.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Tortricodes alternella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Tortricodes alternella
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: Tortricodes alternella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Tortricodes alternella
AGR: 0.62%   |   Total % Change: 13.8%


CUSUM Analysis: Tortricodes alternella
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 15 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 7 (July) 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 2009, 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: Tortricodes alternella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Tortricodes alternella
( 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 - Tortricodes alternella – 67 records available

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

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStageSource
Tortricodes alternellaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202507/03/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaDerbyshire Wildlife Trust Long Clough WoodandSK09G202503/02/202510adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202519/02/202520adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaGlossop, Shawmoor PlantationSK09G202521/02/202513adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaNorton Lees, SheffieldSK38L202403/02/20241Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaMelbourneSK32X202409/02/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaHigh Leas Farm, RiberSK35D202416/02/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaHigh Leas Farm, RiberSK35D202416/02/20242adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaBirch ValeSK08I202415/02/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaMarkham Vale South TipSK47L202419/02/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaGlossop, Shire Hill, southSK09M202401/02/20246adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202402/02/20243adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202410/02/20242adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaLongdendale, Wildboar CloughSK09U202415/02/20248adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaFroggatt, Hope ValleySK27N202420/02/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaMarkham Vale DerbyshireSK47L202419/02/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaLongdendale, Wildboar CloughSK09U202428/01/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaDerbyshire Wild Life Trust Long CloughSK09G202313/02/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaGlossop, Shire Hill, southSK09M202316/02/202315adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaDarwin ForestSK26X202209/02/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaFindern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A202120/02/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaBackgarden MarehaySK34Z201221/02/20121adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201221/02/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaBamford St,RipleySK34Z201221/02/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaThe Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R201223/02/20123Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaNutwood NR, Darley Abbey, DerbySK33P201223/02/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32R201224/02/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaClough Wood,Darley DaleSK26K201228/02/20125Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaGlebe Rise,Littleover,DerbySK33H201228/02/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201225/01/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaClough Wood,Darley DaleSK26K201123/03/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaClough Wood,Darley DaleSK26K201119/03/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201110/02/20112Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201123/02/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201127/02/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaDrakelow NR (Minton's Lagoon), Burton on TrentSK22F200922/08/20093Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32L200906/03/200947Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32L200916/03/20092Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park Estate bottom of Fishermans carparkSK32R200806/03/20086adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32R200806/03/20086Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke ParkSK32L200712/03/20074adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park Ridge from Fisherman's Car ParkSK32R200726/03/20071adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32L200712/03/20074Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32R200726/03/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaFOREMARK RESERVOIRSK32H200415/03/200430adultvc57_irecords_extract
Tortricodes alternellaLings Close,IlkestonSK44S200405/03/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaForemark Res (Boat Yard edge), TicknallSK32G200415/03/20045Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaForemark Resr (Orchid meadow edge), TicknallSK32H200415/03/20042Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaForemark Resr (Spur's Bottom wood), TicknallSK32H200415/03/20049Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaForemark Resr (Spur's Bottom wood), TicknallSK32H200415/03/200411Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park (Poker's Leys), TicknallSK32L199815/03/19981Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park (Poker's Leys), TicknallSK32L199813/02/19985Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaPokers Leys,Calke Park,TicknallSK32L199820/02/199830Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park (Betty's Pool),TicknallSK32R199710/08/19972Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park,TicknallSK32R199709/03/19971Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaShipley Wood, Shipley Park, IlkestonSK44L199717/03/19973Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCalke Park (Poker's Leys), TicknallSK32L199727/02/19971Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaShipley Wood, Shipley Park, IlkestonSK44M199609/04/19961Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaThe Field,Shipley,IlkestonSK44M199609/04/19961Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaClough Wood (nr gate entrance), Darley DaleSK26K199623/03/199630Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCarvers Rocks, Hartshorne, SwadlincoteSK32G199502/04/19951Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaCarvers Rocks NR, Hartshorne, Swadlincote (site not precise)SK32G198107/03/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaUpper Booth, EdaleSK08X198108/02/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaHardwick Wood, WingerworthSK36S197216/03/19721Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaHardwick Wood, WingerworthSK36S197219/03/19721Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaLinacre Woods, ChesterfieldSK37G196927/09/19691Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Tortricodes alternellaLightwood Lane, Moss ValleySK38R196508/03/19651Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Exapate congelatella       Eana osseana

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