15.075 – BF353 – Common Birch Leaf-miner – Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella – (Hübner, 1817)
Adult Micro: CAT 4 – Dissection required – 
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
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 
– Rare / Uncommon / Scarce 
– Leaf-miner
– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required. ID pointers: The adult moth has forewings that are golden-brown with characteristic shining white markings that are inwardly dark-edged.
Distribution: (Last record: 4 November 2025 at Rowlee Bridge, Woodlands Valley ) – Appears to be uncommon but probably under recorded – Leaf Mines are found and make up most of the records.
a good contender for an adult was recorded by Christian Heintzen at Glossop, April 2025.
General Comment: Notes by Christian Heintzen on image dated 4/11/2025 – on Birch (Betula) > 11 mm long lower surface tentiform mine with 6 creases in lower epidermis (a) > frass in one corner of the mine (b)
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: Blotch
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: The larvae create a distinctive blotch mine on the underside of a birch leaf, often small but puckers the leaf noticeably. The mine is small (8-14 mm long) and causes the leaf to pucker noticeably, often resulting in several (can be up to 6) creases in the lower epidermis. A small lower surface tentiform mine and all frass is in a corner of the mine.
*** Last updated on 8 December 2025 by TD ***
Last Recorded Year: 2025 – Leaf Mine
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Rowlee Bridge, Woodlands Valley
Selected Images:
Rose End Meadows – (2009) – Steve Orridge© / plausible, Glossop (2025) – Christian Heintzen© / Rowlee Bridge 4/11/2025 – Christian Heintzen©
Image Gallery
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2007 - 2025) | Immatures: (between 2001 - 2025)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
Distribution Map for Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
Found 28 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 8 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 20 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 8 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 20 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 – Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
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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:
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
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: Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
AGR: 4.38% | Total % Change: 180%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
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
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella
( 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 - Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella – 28 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowlee Bridge, Woodlands Valley | SK18P | 04/11/2025 | 1 | Leaf-mine | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC47521379 |
| Allestree, Derby | SK33P | 03/09/2025 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC45857000 |
| Shillito Wood | SK27X | 28/08/2025 | 10 | mine (empty) | Watchorn, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC44978022 |
| Hope Woodlands, Snake Road | SK19A | 24/08/2025 | 1 | Larva | Neil Sherman | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC48244961 |
| Limb Valley, Sheffield | SK38B | 22/05/2025 | 1 | mine (tenant | Watchorn, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC42017943 |
| Derbyshire Wild Life Trust Long Clough | SK09G | 24/04/2025 | 1 | adult | Heintzen, Christian | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC43978992 |
| Carver's Rocks | SK32H | 21/09/2023 | 1 | Mine | Finch, Graham Leonard | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35106115 |
| Woodland Ave | SK43R | 24/07/2021 | 1 | adult | Thorpe, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33499093 |
| Derbyshire, UK | SK07M | 16/09/2019 | 1 | Larva | Orridge, Steve | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40320518 |
| Blacka Moor and Plantation | SK28Q | 27/07/2016 | 1 | mine (tenant | Watchorn, Andrew | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC3920067 |
| Millers Dale | SK17G | 03/09/2011 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COU5E |
| Ladybower Resr | SK18U | 03/09/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6LB |
| Slippery Stones,Upper Derwent | SK19S | 25/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COXIG |
| Howden Resr | SK19L | 25/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP096 |
| Padley Gorge, Nether Padley | SK27P | 19/08/2010 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP6I1 |
| Rose End Meadow | SK25Y | 16/10/2009 | 1 | mine | Orridge, Steve; Hind, Steve, Budworth, Dave | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC40312707 |
| Hopton Wood NR, Cromford | SK25T | 16/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | Dave Budworth;S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COT0Z |
| Linacre | SK37L | 13/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP55G |
| Norbury | SK14G | 01/10/2009 | 1 | Larval Mine | Dave Budworth;S.A. Orridge;S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COWY5 |
| Monsall Trail, Buxton | SK17L | 14/09/2008 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COSNT |
| Robin Wood, Ticknall | SK32M | 01/05/2007 | 1 | Adult | Dave Budworth | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP3RF |
| Foremark Reservoir | SK32H | 13/04/2007 | 2 | adult | Davison, Tony | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33398723 |
| Foremark Reservoir, Derbyshire | SK32H | 13/04/2007 | 2 | adult | Davison, Tony | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC33398767 |
| Foremark Resr, Ticknall | SK32H | 13/04/2007 | 2 | Adult | BUDWORTH, Mr D., DAVISON, Mr A., PEACH, Mr K., TOP | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COS35 |
| Ogston Carr Wood,nr Ogston Res | SK35U | 12/07/2006 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CORSM |
| Clattercotes Wood, nr Ogston Resr | SK36Q | 12/07/2006 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CORSZ |
| Brackley Gate, nr Coxbench | SK34W | 03/11/2001 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001COR0G |
| Cubley, nr Ashbourne | SK13U | 04/10/2001 | 1 | Larval Mine | S.H. Hind | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP1F6 |