Leaf-miner:
CAT L
– The leaf or a Photo required –
Larval Case:
C1
– Distinctive Species –
– click for General Verification Guidelines |
– click for Specific Verification Guidelines
– Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data
– Leaf-miner
– Day-flying
– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Stigmella ruficapitella – Red-headed Dot; Stigmella samiatella – Chestnut Dot
Often rests by day on tree trunks.
Mine Period Additional: None.
Mine ID Difficulty:
– Care required in ID process as confusion with similar leaf mines. Quality photos of the mine required.
Mine Type/s: Gallery
Mine Feeding Method/s: N/A
Mine Comment: The early stages of the Stigmella group on oak present a real identification challenge especially if you are a beginner to Leaf Mine identification. In some cases the only way to achieve an ID is to rear through to the adult stage to be certain. It is important to first of all find where the egg of S.attricapitella has been laid. It should be shiny black and you should find it at the start of the mine. Determine whether it is on the upper or lower surface of the leaf. The mine is a relatively short gallery but widens quickly.The frass forms a long continues brown line thickening towards the wider part of the green gallery. Check egg position and check larval appearance. The larva should have a brown head and look for the black prothoracic sclerities. The mines are usually tenanted up to the middle of November. If the mine is vacated it is unidentifiable.
Possible Future Content
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Immatures: (between 2009 - 2026)
Changes in First and Last Recorded Activity Dates Over Time
This chart presents a time-series summary of recorded observations. It is based on available records at the time of analysis and will evolve as further data are added. The five-year moving average provides a smoothed representation of variation in recorded adult and immature activity over time, helping to illustrate longer-term trends in the earliest and latest recorded dates.
Annual record totals are shown for context; years with fewer records may provide a less complete representation of activity than years with higher recording intensity. Interpretation should consider that apparent trends may reflect both biological change and variation in recording effort.
Note: Clicking either the Adult Range.... or Immature Range... legends allows you to hide them, to show more discrete data.
Distribution Map for Stigmella atricapitella
↳ 2 from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 5 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 – Stigmella atricapitella
⚠️ 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:
Stigmella atricapitella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Stigmella atricapitella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Stigmella atricapitella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
Click the colour discs below to Select/De-select as Required
Recordings By Year: Stigmella atricapitella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Stigmella atricapitella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Stigmella atricapitella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Stigmella atricapitella
Stigmella atricapitella
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
Stigmella atricapitella
Stigmella atricapitella
( 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 - Stigmella atricapitella – 11 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eckington Woods | SK47J | 04/11/2026 | 1 | mine | Radford, Mark | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC57884104 |
| Belper | SK34U | 23/08/2026 | 1 | mine (tenant | Evans, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC56303491 |
| Hayfield-Birch Vale, Sett Valley Trail | SK08D | 13/11/2025 | 1 | Leaf-mine | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC47521395 |
| Longdendale, Torside Clough | SK09T | 12/11/2025 | 2 | Leaf-mine | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC47521389 |
| Markham Vale North Tip | SK47L | 08/11/2025 | 1 | mine | Radford, Mark | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC46331949 |
| Longdendale, Woodhead, Birchen Bank Wood | SK19E | 07/11/2025 | 1 | Leaf-mine | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC47521383 |
| Bamford | SK28B | 21/09/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | K. McCabe;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COTQ2 |
| Ladybower Resr | SK18U | 03/09/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COXIN |
| Upper Wood, Howden Resr | SK19R | 25/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP09Q |
| Padley Gorge, Nether Padley | SK27P | 19/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6I3 |
| Hope | SK18R | 07/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COSZO |