49.225 BF1205a – Larch Bud Moth – Spilonota laricana – (Heinemann, 1863)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Leaf-miner: CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – 
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Leaf-miner
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Spilonota ocellana
ID pointers: Please note Spilonota laricana was formerly thought a rather dark but distinctive form of Spilonota ocellana but is now a distinct species, separated with care by more extensive grey suffusion over half the wing and more extensive black dashes. However, a dark form of S. ocellana also occurs, where the paler areas of the wing are all darkened. S. laricana retains the pale dorsal central area. S. ocellana also has a broader forewing.
Distribution: (First record: 18 July 2017 at King's Newton ) – (Last record: 22 July 2024 at Tor-side reservoir ) – Appears to be only two records of this species which was formerly considered to be a form of Bud Moth (Spilonota ocellana).One from Kings Newton 18/7/2017 So this potentially a first record for the VC57, and one recorded from Tor-side Reservoir, Derbyshire in July 2024.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae mine the needles of the food plant then overwinter and feed on the yooung buds in the spring.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2024
First Recorded Year: 2017
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Tor-side reservoir
Selected Images: Tor-side Reservoir, Derbyshire – Christian Heintzen© / Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Will Soar© 18/7/2017.
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2018 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
This chart summarises all available historical occurrence records collated by ISO week of the year. It reflects recorder effort and sampling distribution as well as true biological activity, and should be interpreted as an indicative pattern of seasonal occurrence rather than a statistically controlled abundance or phenology model.
Distribution Map for Spilonota laricana
Found 4 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 3 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 1 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 3 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 1 from Before 2020
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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 – Spilonota laricana
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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.
Monthly Records By Year:
Spilonota laricana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Spilonota laricana
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Spilonota laricana
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Spilonota laricana
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Spilonota laricana
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Spilonota laricana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Spilonota laricana
Spilonota laricana
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
Spilonota laricana
Spilonota laricana
( 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 - Spilonota laricana – 4 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markham Vale South Tip , Derbyshire | SK47K | 24/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Morris, Sid | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43814783 |
| Derby DE | SK33I | 05/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43623173 |
| Torside Reservoir northeast end | SK09U | 22/07/2024 | 1 | adult | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38130677 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 18/07/2018 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34060447 |