– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Generally Common / Widespread 
– Leaf Miner
– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.Confusion Species: Y.malinellus & Y.rorrella
ID pointers: Very similar to other Yponomeutidae. Cannot reliably be identified without DNA Analysis or rearing the larvae from the food plant. Some sources say the moth can be identified by the pure white cilia as opposed to grey, but this is very unreliable. If in doubt record as Yponomeutidae aggregate (agg).
Cannot be identified by dissection. Only reliable method of ID is by larval webs on food plant and by breeding from larva off food plant.
Distribution: Widespread in Derbyshire and reasonably common wherever the food-plant exists. Can be identified by the masses of larval webs.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: Identified from food plant (Spindle)
Mine ID Difficulty:
– Easy to identify, generally the leaf mine is distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species. Mine Type/s: Blotch
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: The larvae of Yponomeuta cagnagella (Spindle Ermine) are considered leaf miners initially, before becoming gregarious external feeders. The larvae start by creating small, full-depth blotch mines within the leaves, usually while overwintering. After this initial stage, the larvae emerge to feed gregariously on the leaves within a protective, communal silken web. They can occasionally defoliate entire spindle bushes or hedgerows.
*** Last updated on 21 December 2025 by TD ***
Blue-coded] moths is not displayed/updated in this tab. However, all verified records for this moth are listed in the RECORDS tab below. Selected Images:
Larval webs – V.Williams© / Neil Gregory© / Marion Bryce© / adult Y.sp Kings Newton – Will Soar©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Distribution Map for Yponomeuta cagnagella
Found 32 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 8 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 24 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 8 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 24 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 – Yponomeuta cagnagella
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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:
Yponomeuta cagnagella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year: Yponomeuta cagnagella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Yponomeuta cagnagella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Yponomeuta cagnagella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Yponomeuta cagnagella
AGR: 10.31% | Total % Change: 166.7%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Yponomeuta cagnagella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Yponomeuta cagnagella
Yponomeuta cagnagella
( 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 2020-2026.
Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Yponomeuta cagnagella
Yponomeuta cagnagella
( 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 - Yponomeuta cagnagella – 32 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckets Wood, Chapel-en-le-Frith | SK07P | 04/06/2025 | 1 | Larva | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire | SK22W | 02/06/2025 | 10 | larval web | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Trent Lock | SK43V | 24/05/2025 | 1 | larval web | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Forbes Hole LNR | SK43W | 20/05/2025 | 100 | larva | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Creswell Crags – North side of gorge | SK57H | 12/06/2024 | 1 | Not recorded | vc57_irecords_extract |
| West Park Fox Covert LNR | SK43W | 31/05/2024 | 1 | larva | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Coal Aston | SK37U | 13/06/2023 | 10 | larva | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Pioneer Meadow | SK43P | 24/05/2023 | 1 | larva | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 21/08/2013 | 4 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 30/07/2013 | 2 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 30/07/2013 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Kingsway (B&Q car park), Derby | SK33I | 16/06/2013 | 1000 | Larvae | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Duffield Rd, Allestree, Derby | SK34K | 20/08/2012 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 2 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Dovedale | SK15K | 30/07/2010 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 02/08/2009 | 5 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 15/07/2009 | 5 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Duffield Rd, Allestree, Derby | SK34K | 11/07/2009 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 02/08/2008 | 16 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Melbourne, Derbyshire | SK32X | 10/08/2007 | 2 | adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Spinney Hill,Melbourne | SK32X | 07/07/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Church St,Holloway,Matlock | SK35I | 17/06/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Church St,Holloway,Matlock | SK35I | 12/06/2006 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 01/08/2005 | 6 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 01/08/2005 | 6 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 26/07/2005 | 3 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 26/07/2005 | 3 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 13/08/2004 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 13/08/2004 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Main Street, Kings Newton | SK32Y | 06/08/2004 | 1 | Adult | vc57_irecords_extract |
| Main St,Kings Newton,Melbourne | SK32Y | 06/08/2004 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |
| Wood Lane,Newhall,Swadlincote | SK22V | 18/08/2003 | 1 | Adult | vc57_danes_bc_data |