16.019 BF440  –  Yponomeutidae –  Yponomeutinae – Paraswammerdamia albicapitella – White-headed Drab – (Scharfenberg, 1805) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Black – Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Yponomeutidae  >> Yponomeutinae
** Identification write up required **
Other Name/s: White-headed Ermine
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Swammerdamia caesiella
(Birch Drab);Swammerdamia pyrella
(Copper-fringed Drab):
Distribution:  (Last record: 3 September 2023 at Breaston )  –  19 records between 2005 – 2023 (DaNES & IRecord)
General Comment: None
Flight Period: June /  July /  August –  June-August and attracted to light Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Marion Bryce  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 10-13mm
Food Plant: Blackthorn
Last Recorded Year: 2023
Last Recorded By – Steve Thorpe
Last Recorded General Area – Breaston

Selected Images:  

Long Eaton (2022) Marion Bryce©



Distribution Map for Paraswammerdamia albicapitella

Found 26 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 9 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 17 from Before 2020
Flying
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 – Paraswammerdamia albicapitella

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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: Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
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: Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
AGR: 2.46%   |   Total % Change: 66.7%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
( 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.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Paraswammerdamia albicapitella – 26 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Staveley garden SYASK47H01/09/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
High Leas FarmSK35D21/06/20253adultvc57_irecords_extract
upper cromford gardenSK25Y20/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R03/09/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R07/07/20232adultvc57_irecords_extract
Marlborough Road, Long Eaton, DerbysSK43X17/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R20/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R02/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y21/07/20201Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y18/07/20181Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Wood Lane,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V18/07/20142Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y21/08/20131Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y30/07/20131Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y30/07/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Backgarden MarehaySK34Z02/08/20121adultvc57_irecords_extract
Bamford St,RipleySK34Z02/08/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y15/07/20091Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y02/08/20082Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y29/07/20051Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y29/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y13/07/20052Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y13/07/20052Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Main Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y11/07/20053Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Main St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y11/07/20053Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Foremark Resr, TicknallSK32H09/07/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Foremark Resr, TicknallSK32H25/06/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

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