49.222 BF1158 – Small Cowberry Marble – Rhopobota ustomaculana – (Curtis, 1831)
Adult Micro: CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others – 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
Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species – – 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. ID pointers: Forewing is dark brown with silvery white markings. A pale triangular shaped dorsal patch and a dark bar angled to form a slight cross-band, bordering a pale intricately patterned apex to the wing enclosing a dark spot.
Distribution: (Last record: 22 January 2025 ) – Nationally scarce A – Last recorded in 1970 – Recent discovery of Leaf mines at Bray Clough – January 2025 & Kinder Scout – March 2025. Likely the species is common on Derbyshire moorlands where there is Cowberry. Most probably under-recorded.
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae start to form mines on the leaves of Cowberry producing obvious frass. The larvae then spin leaves together to feed on the cellular tissue of the soft parts of the leaves (Parenchyma).
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 7 November 2025 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Not Recorded
Selected Images: Bray Clough – January 2025/ Kinder Scout – March 2025 – Christian Heintzen©
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1994 - 2017) | Immatures: (between 1970 - 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 Rhopobota ustomaculana
Found 10 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 6 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 4 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 6 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 4 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 – Rhopobota ustomaculana
⚠️ 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:
Rhopobota ustomaculana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Rhopobota ustomaculana
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Rhopobota ustomaculana
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Rhopobota ustomaculana
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Rhopobota ustomaculana
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Rhopobota ustomaculana
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Rhopobota ustomaculana
Rhopobota ustomaculana
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
Rhopobota ustomaculana
Rhopobota ustomaculana
( 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 - Rhopobota ustomaculana – 10 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leygatehead & Middle Moor above Little Hayfield | SK08P | 11/04/2025 | 1 | Leaf-mine | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43978951 |
| Kinder Scout, western slopes below Kinder Downfall | SK08U | 12/03/2025 | 10 | larva | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40399476 |
| Kinder Scout, western slopes below Kinder Downfall | SK08U | 12/03/2025 | 20 | larva | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40399478 |
| Kinder Scout, Seal Edge | SK18E | 26/02/2025 | 1 | Larva | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40322244 |
| Bray Clough | SK09K | 17/01/2025 | 3 | Larva | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40053330 |
| Olwer Tor | SK28K | 12/09/2024 | 1 | Mine | Jack Oughton | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC39791148 |
| Burbage Valley and Houndkirk Moor | SK28Q | 04/12/2017 | 2 | Larva | Watchorn, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC6269511 |
| Blacka Moor and Plantation | SK28V | 14/11/2017 | 1 | Adult | Watchorn, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC6208944 |
| Beeley Triangle (site not precise) | SK26Z | 27/07/1994 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP147 |
| nr Eyam Moor | SK27J | 17/05/1970 | 1 | Larvae | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COQI2 |