22.003 BF448a – Cryptic Ash Bud Moth – Prays ruficeps – (Heinemann, 1854)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Leaf-miner: CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – 
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce 
– Leaf-miner
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: < Prays fraxinella
ID pointers: Slightly smaller than fraxinella, but with the head being orangey-brown and the thorax and forewings a bland sooty-brown.
Distribution: (Last record: 4 June 2024 at Sandiacre ) – This form has recently been elevated to species status. The current distribution of this species is uncertain as it was only separated from Prays fraxinella by DNA barcoding in 2013. with fraxinella, it is likely to be common across the county where there is Ash. These photographs appear to be the first VC record of this species.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae feed on Ash (Fraxinus) and feed in a similar manner to Prays fraxinella, initially creating a gallery mine from the mid-vein and then in the twig, bud and young shoot.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Emily Milnes
Last Recorded General Area – Sandiacre
Selected Images: Kings Newton, Derbyshire – Will Soar ©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2013 - 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 Prays ruficeps
Found 22 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 20 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 2 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 20 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 – Prays ruficeps
⚠️ 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:
Prays ruficeps
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Prays ruficeps
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Prays ruficeps
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Prays ruficeps
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Prays ruficeps
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Prays ruficeps
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Prays ruficeps
Prays ruficeps
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.
Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Prays ruficeps
Prays ruficeps
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Mine 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 mine periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen mining, from site observation records received between 2020-2026.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Prays ruficeps – 22 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 05/09/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45140098 |
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 03/09/2025 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45113195 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 24/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44791389 |
| Belper, Derbyshire | SK34N | 23/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Newcombe, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC50608580 |
| Littleove, Derby | SK33G | 22/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44706082 |
| Littleove, Derby | SK33G | 21/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44685449 |
| Ingleby Avenue | SK33L | 20/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44650988 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 02/08/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44108862 |
| Belper | SK34U | 18/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43630259 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 16/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43530532 |
| Sheffield | SK38M | 21/05/2025 | 1 | adult | Turner, Jan | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41826015 |
| Sheffield | SK38M | 18/05/2025 | 1 | adult | Turner, Jan | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41724927 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 30/04/2025 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41265468 |
| Sandiacre Garden | SK43T | 04/06/2024 | 1 | adult | Milnes, Emily | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39165551 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 26/05/2024 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC36110039 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 22/09/2020 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059964 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 15/09/2020 | 2 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059967 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 10/09/2020 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059965 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 05/08/2020 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059966 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 12/07/2020 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34959302 |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 17/07/2018 | 1 | Adult | Soar, Will | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34059968 |
| Backgarden Marehay | SK34Z | 30/07/2013 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33508909 |