20.018 BF417 – Blackthorn Tip Moth – Argyresthia spinosella – (Stainton, 1849)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Leaf-miner: CAT A – Recorded accepted without the leaf or a photo – Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species –
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data 
– Day-flying
– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.Confusion Species: A.semifusca
ID pointers: Head and upper body (Tegulae) orange-brown. Forewing brownish-grey with a slight purplish tinge. A white streak along the dorsum, from the base to the tornus, split by a purplish grey-brown cross band across the middle of the forewing.
Distribution: (Last record: 19 June 2023 at Cromford ) – Unknown/ Uncertain in the county, as so few records. Found on Blackthorn.
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 18 March 2026 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2023
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford
Selected Images: Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Will Soar ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2012 - 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 Argyresthia spinosella
Found 8 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 6 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 2 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 6 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 2 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 – Argyresthia spinosella
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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:
Argyresthia spinosella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Argyresthia spinosella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Argyresthia spinosella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Argyresthia spinosella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Argyresthia spinosella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Argyresthia spinosella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Argyresthia spinosella
Argyresthia spinosella
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 - Argyresthia spinosella – 8 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 19/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC42543077 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 12/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC42283048 |
| Upper Cromford Garden | SK25Y | 19/06/2023 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34569040 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 26/06/2021 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38494300 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 22/06/2021 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38494266 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 16/06/2021 | 3 | adult | Brian and Jean Hallam | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35164795 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 30/05/2017 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059933 |
| Carr Wood | SK45A | 22/06/2012 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33510341 |