12.039 BF230 – Pale-backed Detritus Moth – Monopis crocicapitella – (Clemens, 1859)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other 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
– care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required. Confusion Species: Monopis obviella
ID pointers: A pale golden yellow head, with a dark brown forewing that has a scattering of golden yellow scales. An obvious pale yellowish central spot in forewing. A prominent pale yellow stripe down the dorsum bordering the central pale yellow band on thorax. Hind wing is pale grey.
Distribution: Status unknown in Derbyshire due to insufficient data with only a handful of reported records. Suspect widespread just simply under-recorded. Very difficult to tell apart from Monopis obviella.
General Comment: None *** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded By – Tony Davison
Last Recorded General Area – Melbourne
Selected Images: Melbourne, Derbyshire – Tony Davison © – Possibly Monopis crocicapitella.
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2019 - 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 Monopis crocicapitella
Found 13 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 12 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 1 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 12 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 1 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 – Monopis crocicapitella
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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:
Monopis crocicapitella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Monopis crocicapitella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Monopis crocicapitella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Monopis crocicapitella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Monopis crocicapitella
AGR: 2.25% | Total % Change: 14.3%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Monopis crocicapitella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Monopis crocicapitella
Monopis crocicapitella
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 - Monopis crocicapitella – 13 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 | 18/09/2025 | 2 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45423630 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 14/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43505754 |
| Derby DE | SK33I | 05/07/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43623171 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 28/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC42819719 |
| Derby DE | SK33I | 23/06/2025 | 1 | adult | Watson, Adrian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43626083 |
| Ingleby Ave, Derby | SK33L | 30/05/2025 | 1 | adult | Shervill, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41952530 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 24/05/2025 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41814209 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 11/08/2023 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33497022 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 30/06/2023 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33496615 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 16/08/2022 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC34958422 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 07/07/2022 | 1 | Adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC27846463 |
| Midway, Derbys. | SK32A | 28/09/2020 | 1 | adult | Williams, Michael | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC38448557 |
| Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZ | SK33A | 01/06/2019 | 1 | adult | Brian and Jean Hallam | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35161099 |