63.028 BF1375  – European Corn-borer – Ostrinia nubilalis – (Hübner, 1796) Adult Micro:  CAT 3 – Very rare or scarce species (includes very scarce adventives/immigrants) – confusion with leaf mines       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Brown –  Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant        orange – Migrant
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Crambidae  >> Pyraustinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Sitochroa verticalis (Lesser Pearl)
ID pointers: the males are usually smaller and darker than the females. Forewing brown or greyish brown and a prominent yellowish cross-band (two-thirds). Also two dark brownish blotches and a yellowish dart shaped patch.
Distribution:  (First record: 19 July 2022 at Cromford )  –  (Last record: 19 July 2022 at Sandiacre )  –  An immigrant – A first VC57 & Derbyshire record from Cromford 19/7/2022 (iRecord) 2nd record 24/8/2025 Findern, 3rd record 25/8/2025 Sandiacre
General Comment: None
Flight Period: June /  July –  A single generation Moth Activity: Cathemeral   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Clive Ashton; Brian Hallam, Anne Butler  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 26-30mm
Food Plant: In Britain favours Mugwort. Abroad it is a pest on Maize.
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 2022
Last Recorded By – Anne Butler
Last Recorded General Area – Sandiacre

Selected Images:  

Cromford (2022) First VC57 record – Clive Ashton© / Findern 24/8/2025 Brian Hallam©/ Sandiacre 25/8/2025 Anne Butler©



Occurrence Distribution From All Available Data (Adult & Immature)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Ostrinia nubilalis

Found 2 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 2 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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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 – Ostrinia nubilalis

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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.

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Monthly Records By Year: Ostrinia nubilalis
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Ostrinia nubilalis
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

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Recordings By Year: Ostrinia nubilalis
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Ostrinia nubilalis
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Ostrinia nubilalis
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Ostrinia nubilalis

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 - Ostrinia nubilalis – 2 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Findern, DerbyshireSK33A24/08/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Lower Cromford GardenSK25Y19/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract

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