38.032 BF602 – Pearly Grass-miner – Elachista apicipunctella – (Stainton, 1849)
Adult Micro: CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – 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. Confusion Species: Elachista albifrontella (White-headed Grass-miner); Elachista stabilella (Southern Grass-miner)
ID pointers: The moth has an extra white apical spot within the forewing beyond the tornal and costal spots. Also a characteristic white head
Distribution: (Last record: 5 February 2024 at Cromford ) – Likely an uncommon moth in the county – one from Cressbrook Dale in 1985 and a scattering of records between 2008 – 2024
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae mine the leaves of grasses
Mine ID Difficulty:
– Mine cannot be identified without breeding through and then adult may need to be examined by Gen Det Prep. Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: None.
*** Last updated on 3 January 2026 by RP ***
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford
Selected Images:
Stoney Cloud – Marion Bryce©
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 2008 - 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 Elachista apicipunctella
Found 7 records
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 3 from Before 2020
↳ from 2026+
↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
↳ 3 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 – Elachista apicipunctella
⚠️ 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:
Elachista apicipunctella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Elachista apicipunctella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Elachista apicipunctella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Elachista apicipunctella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Elachista apicipunctella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Elachista apicipunctella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Elachista apicipunctella
Elachista apicipunctella
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
Elachista apicipunctella
Elachista apicipunctella
( 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 - Elachista apicipunctella – 7 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
| Site Name | Tetrad | Date | Count | Stage | Recorder | Source | RecordKey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rose end meadows | SK25Y | 10/05/2025 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC41483496 |
| upper cromford garden | SK25Y | 02/05/2024 | 1 | adult | Ashton, Clive | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35722033 |
| belper coppice park | SK34N | 27/04/2024 | 1 | adult | Bryce, Marion | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC35608056 |
| Stoney Clouds | SK43T | 14/05/2021 | 1 | adult | Bryce, Marion | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC20405679 |
| Ashover, Derbyshire | SK36L | 09/05/2018 | 1 | adult | Plant, Stephen | vc57_irecords_extract | iBRC12936687 |
| Millennium Meadow NR, Duffield | SK34L | 05/05/2014 | 1 | Adult | VC57 Derbyshire Recorder | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP0F1 |
| Alfreton Park, Alfreton | SK45C | 21/05/2008 | 1 | Adult | Dave Budworth;D.A. Clarke;H. Wood | vc57_danes_bc_data | LC000334001CP46T |