49.325 BF1255  –  Tortricidae –  Olethreutinae – Cydia ulicetana – Common Gorse Moth – (Haworth, 1811) Adult Micro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive Species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Blue –  Generally Common / Widespread   
Taxonomy:   Micro  >> .  . >>  Tortricidae  >> Olethreutinae
Other Name/s: Grey Gorse Piercer, Cydia succedana
ID Difficulty:  green  – 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.
Flight Period: July /  August /  September /  –  On the wing during July – September. Moth Activity: Crepuscular  – females crepuscular, males fly in sunshine Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Rowan Wakefield  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 21 June 2025 by TD ***
Wingspan: 12-16mm
Food Plant: Gorse or Broom.
Recorded dates for Common [Blue code Blue-coded] moths are not stored on the website at this current time.

IMAGES BELOW:  Buxton, Derbyshire – Rowan Wakefield©

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Distribution Map for Cydia ulicetana

derbyshiremoths.org © makes no guarantee of accuracy of data used in these maps and charts – they are presented to you with best endeavours and the data behind them updated periodically as time permits. Historic records are being discovered all the time. These will be assessed, so once they are all verified, they will be incorporated onto the map and charts.

Found 30 records
    ↳ 5 from After 2025
    ↳ 10 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 15 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.


Monthly Records By Year: Cydia ulicetana

Monthly Counts By Year: Cydia ulicetana

Recordings By Year: Cydia ulicetana

Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Cydia ulicetana
AGR: 6.09%   |   Total % Change: 313.5%
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2024

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Cydia ulicetana

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
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 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Cydia ulicetana – 30 records available

Listed by Year - descending

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStage
Cydia ulicetanaMarkham Vale North Tip SK47L202507/05/2025100adult
Cydia ulicetanaDWT Hoe Grange QuarrySK25I202509/05/20254adult
Cydia ulicetanaMarkham Vale DerbyshireSK47K202511/05/20251adult
Cydia ulicetanaCromford MoorSK25X202506/05/20255adult
Cydia ulicetanaDWT Wyver LaneSK35K202520/05/202510adult
Cydia ulicetanaBirch ValeSK08I202407/09/20241adult
Cydia ulicetanaDerbyshire, UKSK08F202410/06/20241
Cydia ulicetanaLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S202425/05/20241adult
Cydia ulicetanaDWT Wyver LaneSK34P202409/05/20241adult
Cydia ulicetanaBelperSK34U202303/07/20231adult
Cydia ulicetanaDerbyshire, UKSK27B202327/05/20231
Cydia ulicetanaDerbyshire, UKSK07M202219/08/20221
Cydia ulicetanaAllestree, DerbySK33P202104/09/20211adult
Cydia ulicetanaBlacka MoorSK28V202130/05/20211adult
Cydia ulicetanaBirch ValeSK08I202017/08/202010adult
Cydia ulicetanaBirch ValeSK08I201907/09/20191adult
Cydia ulicetanaChinley HeadSK08L201916/05/201910adult
Cydia ulicetanaDerbyshire, UKSK17W201925/05/20191Adult
Cydia ulicetanaShirebrook ValleySK48C201819/05/201820adult
Cydia ulicetanaAlport Height,WirksworthSK35A201104/05/20111Adult
Cydia ulicetanaBradley Rocks,BirchoverSK26G201114/05/20111Adult
Cydia ulicetanaSandbed Lane (acid grassland), BelperSK34T201119/05/20111Adult
Cydia ulicetanaSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201117/05/20111Adult
Cydia ulicetanaForemark Resr, TicknallSK32H200511/06/20051Adult
Cydia ulicetanaCarvers Rocks, Hartshorne, SwadlincoteSK32G200529/05/20052Adult
Cydia ulicetanaHilton Gravel Pits, Hilton, Burton on TrentSK23K200413/05/20041Adult
Cydia ulicetanaBirch Hall Golf Course, UnstoneSK37T199727/04/19971Adult
Cydia ulicetanaUnstone (site not precise)SK37T199407/08/19941Adult
Cydia ulicetanaUnstone By-pass (site not precies)SK37N198928/04/19891Adult
Cydia ulicetanaHunger Hill, Holymoorside, ChesterfieldSK36I196331/05/19631Adult

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