Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species – 
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– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Leaf Miner
– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.Confusion Species: Mine – similar to Gracillaria syringella
ID pointers: Graham Finch’s specimen was determined via Gen. Det. ID features are a forewing ground colour whitish, with brownish markings, usually visible as three incomplete oblique cross-bands. Cilia distinctly banded light and dark. Tufted labial palps -No other Caloptilia shows that feature (apart from Povolnya leucapennella which is completely different.)
Distribution: (Last record: 22 April 2025 at Cromford ) – Unknown and insufficient data. These photos by Graham Finch are of the first VC57 record and documented data on this species. A second record was recorded by Clive Ashton on 22nd April 2025 from his Cromford garden.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae initially create a mine on either privet (Ligustrum vulgare) or ash (Fraxinus), and then form two successive cones by rolling a leaf.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 26 October 2025 by TD ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford
Selected Images: Grange Wood, Derbyshire July 2021 – Graham Finch © . Cromford 22nd April 2025 -Clive Ashton©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Caloptilia cuculipennella
Found 5 records
↳ 3 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 1 from Before 2020
↳ 3 from After 2025
↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
↳ 1 from Before 2020
If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.
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 – Caloptilia cuculipennella
⚠️ 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:
Caloptilia cuculipennella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Caloptilia cuculipennella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Caloptilia cuculipennella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Caloptilia cuculipennella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Caloptilia cuculipennella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
CUSUM Analysis: Caloptilia cuculipennella
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 24 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.
Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 9 (September) to provide a full-year equivalent.
ⓘ
Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year)
Trough (worst year)
Growth periods
Decline periods
Population peaked around 2025, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2021, showing a significant decline.
What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Caloptilia cuculipennella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Caloptilia cuculipennella
Caloptilia cuculipennella
( data includes Adult Stage only )
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.
Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Caloptilia cuculipennella
Caloptilia cuculipennella
( 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 2020-2025.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Caloptilia cuculipennella – 5 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvaston Park | SK33X | 07/08/2025 | 5 | larval case | vc57_irecords_extract |
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 27/04/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 22/04/2025 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Grange Wood, Overseal | SK21S | 02/07/2021 | 1 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Bamford, Win Hill and Thornhill Trail | SK28B | 02/10/2018 | 1 | pre-adult | vc57_irecords_extract |