4.026 BF100 – Nepticulidae – Nepticulinae – Stigmella oxyacanthella – Fruit-tree Dot

4.026 BF100 – Fruit-tree Dot – Stigmella oxyacanthella – (Stainton, 1854)

Adult Micro: CAT 4 – Dissection required –

Leaf-miner: CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required –

Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species –

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– click for Specific Verification Guidelines

– Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data – Leaf-miner

Taxonomy: Micro >> Nepticulidae >> Nepticulinae

Other Name/s: Common Fruit-tree Pigmy

ID Difficulty: Red

– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Stigmella paradoxa, Stigmella nylandriella

ID pointers: Plain dark forewings with a hint of purple and an orange head

Distribution: (Last record: 29 October 2025 at Sunnydale LNR, Derby ) – Uncertain due to insufficient data

General Comment: None

Flight Period: June – one generation

Mine Period: September / October
Mine Period Additional: The larvae mine the leaves of hawthorn, apple and one or two other species. The mine is initially narrow with linear frass, but becomes wide with reddish frass in neat arcs. The larva is bright green.
Mine ID Difficulty: Not Recorded
Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.

Moth Activity: Cathemeral – occasionally attracted to light

*** Last updated on 13 December 2025 by TD ***

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Wingspan: 5-6mm

Food Plant: Hawthorn, Apple

Last Recorded Year: 2025

Last Recorded By – Andrew-John Shervill

Last Recorded General Area – Sunnydale LNR, Derby

Selected Images:

Rose End Meadows (2009) – Steve Orridge© / Sunnydale LNR, Derby 29/10/2025 – Andrew-John Shervill©

Stigmella oxyacanthella – 16th October 2009 – Rose End Meadows – Steve Orridge

Stigmella oxyacanthella on Crataegus – Steve Orridge

Stigmella oxyacanthella – 29th October 2025 – mine on Crataegus (Hawthorn) at Sunnydale LNR . Andrew John Shervill – Identification confirmed on British Leafminers FB – Rob Edmunds.

Image Gallery

Occurrence Distribution From All Available Data (Adult & Immature)

(click legend below to show/hide datasets)

Distribution Map for Stigmella oxyacanthella

Found 25 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 7 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 18 from Before 2020

Flying

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Mining

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

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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 – Stigmella oxyacanthella

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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.

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Monthly Records By Year: Stigmella oxyacanthella

( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Stigmella oxyacanthella

( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )

First/Last Recorded Dates: Stigmella oxyacanthella

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 oxyacanthella

( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Stigmella oxyacanthella

AGR: 5.14% | Total % Change: 233.3%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Stigmella oxyacanthella

( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Stigmella oxyacanthella

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 oxyacanthella

( 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 oxyacanthella – 25 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

Site Name	Tetrad	Date	Count	Stage	Source
Sunnydale LNR	SK33G	29/10/2025	3	mine	vc57_irecords_extract
Markham Vale, Hall Lane Pond	SK47H	05/10/2025	6	mine	vc57_irecords_extract
Sunnydale LNR	SK33G	28/09/2025	1	adult	vc57_irecords_extract
Limestone Way near Millers Dale	SK17G	14/10/2024	1	mine	vc57_irecords_extract
River Derwent, Derby	SK33S	21/09/2024	1	mine	vc57_irecords_extract
Calke Park	SK32R	07/10/2023	1	Mine	vc57_irecords_extract
Calke Park	SK32R	01/10/2023	1	Mine	vc57_irecords_extract
Millers Dale	SK17G	03/09/2011	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Thorpe, Dovedale	SK15K	13/10/2010	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Kirk Dale, Ashford in the Water	SK16Z	22/09/2010	1	Larva	vc57_irecords_extract
Ashford in the Water	SK16Z	22/09/2010	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Lathkill Dale	SK26D	04/09/2010	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Rose End Meadow	SK25Y	16/10/2009	1	mine	vc57_irecords_extract
Cromford, Matlock DE, UK	SK25Y	16/10/2009	1	Larva	vc57_irecords_extract
Hopton Wood NR, Cromford	SK25T	16/10/2009	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Rose End Meadows NR,Cromford	SK25Y	16/10/2009	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Coombs Dale,Stoney Middleton	SK27H	12/10/2009	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Hope	SK18R	07/10/2009	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Norbury	SK14G	01/10/2009	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Tissington Trail, Ashbourne	SK14T	01/10/2009	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Monsall Trail, Buxton	SK17L	14/09/2008	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Shallcross Wood, Goyt Valley, Whaley Bridge	SK07E	26/09/2006	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Carr Vale NR,Bolsover	SK47K	13/09/2006	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Broomfield Hall, Morley, Derby	SK34V	03/11/2001	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data
Abbotsholme School, Rocester	SK13E	04/10/2001	1	Larval Mine	vc57_danes_bc_data

– Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data – Leaf-miner

Occurrence Distribution From All Available Data (Adult & Immature)

Distribution Map for Stigmella oxyacanthella

NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Stigmella oxyacanthella

Monthly Records By Year: Stigmella oxyacanthella

( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Stigmella oxyacanthella

( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )

First/Last Recorded Dates: Stigmella oxyacanthella

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 oxyacanthella

( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Stigmella oxyacanthella

AGR: 5.14% | Total % Change: 233.3%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Stigmella oxyacanthella

( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded DataStigmella oxyacanthella

Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded DataStigmella oxyacanthella

( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Stigmella oxyacanthella – 25 records available

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Stigmella oxyacanthella

Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Stigmella oxyacanthella