– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Epiblema scutulana (Thistle Root-borer) E. sticticana
ID pointers: Very similar to E.scutulana which has a pale hindwing, and E.sticticana food plant helps in some cases.Generally smaller, showing less white on the forewing.
Distribution: (Last record: 21 May 2025 at Belper ) – Harrison & Sterling – records between 1919 – 1968 widespread; DaNES – 9 records 1905(3), 2007,2008, 2014(3). Several reported to iRecord (2022 & 2023) but these have been inconclusive
One recorded in Belper on 21st May 2025.It was freshly emerged on Knapweed with none of the other larval food plants of the trio of confusion in the vicinity. Next day there were another 2 specimens on the same plant.
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 7 November 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Dave Evans
Last Recorded General Area – Belper
Selected Images:
Belper May 2025 – Dave Evans©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Epiblema cirsiana
Found 12 records
↳ 1 from After 2025
↳ 2 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 9 from Before 2020
↳ 1 from After 2025
↳ 2 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 9 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.
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 – Epiblema cirsiana
⚠️ 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.
Monthly Records By Year:
Epiblema cirsiana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Epiblema cirsiana
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Epiblema cirsiana
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: Epiblema cirsiana
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Epiblema cirsiana
AGR: -3.25% | Total % Change: -50%
CUSUM Analysis: Epiblema cirsiana
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 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 2008, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2025, 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: Epiblema cirsiana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Epiblema cirsiana
Epiblema cirsiana
( 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 - Epiblema cirsiana – 12 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markham Vale South Tip | SK47K | 05/05/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Etherow CP | SJ99Q | 08/06/2023 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Sett Valley | SJ98X | 17/05/2022 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Millennium Meadow NR, Duffield | SK34L | 10/06/2014 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Millennium Meadow NR, Duffield | SK34L | 17/05/2014 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Millennium Meadow NR, Duffield | SK34L | 21/04/2014 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Briar Close,Newhall,Swadlincote | SK22V | 21/05/2008 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Tideswell Dale | SK17L | 09/06/2007 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Clough Wood/Darley Bridge | SK26Q | 22/05/2004 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Via Gelia, Matlock (site not precise) | SK25N | 02/04/1905 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Willington area, Derby | SK22Z | 02/04/1905 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Little Eaton, Derby (site not precise) | SK34Q | 02/04/1905 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |