49.325 BF1255 – Common Gorse Moth – Cydia ulicetana – (Haworth, 1811)
Adult Micro: CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others –
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Generally Common / Widespread
– easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.ID pointers: Forewing a pale grey to dark grey, variable speckled with greyish brown or greyish yellow. The costa shows several small whitish streaks. The rear third is delicately marked with metallic orangey brown.
Distribution: A common species on heath and moorland where there is gorse or broom.
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Blue-coded] moths is not displayed/updated in this tab. However, all verified records for this moth are listed in the RECORDS tab below. Selected Images: Buxton, Derbyshire – Rowan Wakefield©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1963 - 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 Cydia ulicetana
Found 33 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 15 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 18 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 15 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 18 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 – Cydia ulicetana
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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:
Cydia ulicetana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Cydia ulicetana
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Cydia ulicetana
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Cydia ulicetana
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Cydia ulicetana
AGR: 16.34% | Total % Change: 2300%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Cydia ulicetana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Cydia ulicetana
Cydia ulicetana
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.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Cydia ulicetana – 33 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DWT Wyver Lane | SK35K | 20/05/2025 | 10 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41723896 |
| Markham Vale Derbyshire | SK47K | 11/05/2025 | 1 | adult | Morris, Sid ( M.V. Trapping group ) | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41542435 |
| DWT Hoe Grange Quarry | SK25I | 09/05/2025 | 4 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41493633 |
| Markham Vale North Tip | SK47L | 07/05/2025 | 100 | adult | Radford, Mark | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41438823 |
| Cromford Moor | SK25X | 06/05/2025 | 5 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41401595 |
| Birch Vale | SK08I | 07/09/2024 | 1 | adult | Hewitt, Jane | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39759397 |
| Derbyshire, UK | SK08F | 10/06/2024 | 1 | Adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36506999 |
| Ladycroft Ave, Buxton | SK07S | 25/05/2024 | 1 | adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36182212 |
| DWT Wyver Lane | SK34P | 09/05/2024 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35828173 |
| Belper | SK34U | 03/07/2023 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35314678 |
| Derbyshire, UK | SK27B | 27/05/2023 | 1 | Adult | markcocker | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC30563974 |
| Derbyshire, UK | SK07M | 19/08/2022 | 1 | Adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC28806467 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 04/09/2021 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35407533 |
| Blacka Moor | SK28V | 30/05/2021 | 1 | adult | Higginson-Tranter, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC20537306 |
| Birch Vale | SK08I | 17/08/2020 | 10 | adult | Hewitt, Jane | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35066326 |
| Birch Vale | SK08I | 07/09/2019 | 1 | adult | Hewitt, Jane | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35072068 |
| Derbyshire, UK | SK17W | 25/05/2019 | 1 | Adult | Moores, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC10873055 |
| Chinley Head | SK08L | 16/05/2019 | 10 | adult | Hewitt, Jane | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35073537 |
| Shirebrook Valley | SK48C | 19/05/2018 | 20 | adult | Hunter, David | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC6796032 |
| Ladycroft Ave | SK07S | 02/08/2015 | 1 | adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48844770 |
| Ladycroft Ave | SK07S | 31/07/2015 | 1 | adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48845823 |
| Ladycroft Ave | SK07S | 10/07/2015 | 1 | adult | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48845182 |
| Sandbed Lane (acid grassland), Belper | SK34T | 19/05/2011 | 1 | Adult | K.R. Huston | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COXMF |
| School Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley Dale | SK26R | 17/05/2011 | 1 | Adult | A. Butler | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6VN |
| Bradley Rocks,Birchover | SK26G | 14/05/2011 | 1 | Adult | K.R. Huston | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6V7 |
| Alport Height,Wirksworth | SK35A | 04/05/2011 | 1 | Adult | K.R. Huston | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6UD |
| Foremark Resr, Ticknall | SK32H | 11/06/2005 | 1 | Adult | Topliss, Neil | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CORHW |
| Carvers Rocks, Hartshorne, Swadlincote | SK32G | 29/05/2005 | 2 | Adult | Topliss, Neil | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP2GX |
| Hilton Gravel Pits, Hilton, Burton on Trent | SK23K | 13/05/2004 | 1 | Adult | Dave Budworth | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP1NE |
| Birch Hall Golf Course, Unstone | SK37T | 27/04/1997 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COZL7 |
| Unstone (site not precise) | SK37T | 07/08/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COVBD |
| Unstone By-pass (site not precies) | SK37N | 28/04/1989 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP0TI |
| Hunger Hill, Holymoorside, Chesterfield | SK36I | 31/05/1963 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP0IN |