35.089 BF794  –  Gelechiidae –  Gelechiinae – Prolita sexpunctella – Six-spot Grey – (Fabricius, 1794) Adult Micro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species –       PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce        day-flying – Day-flying
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Gelechiidae  >> Gelechiinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
ID pointers: Forewings are dark greyish-brown mixed reddish-brown, towards base and termen. There are several white defused cross-bands, and black markings in the mid-wing
Distribution:  (First record: 1 June 1963 at Beeley Moor )  –  (Last record: 6 May 2025 at Bray Clough )  –  Likely locally uncommon on heather moorland occurring at high altitudes. No doubt on the moors of Derbyshire but under recorded – a record from Birch Vale 30/5/2021 and from Bray Clough 6/5/2025
General Comment: None
Flight Period: May /  June –  Flies in sunshine over the moorlands in May & June Moth Activity: Diurnal  Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Jane Hewitt; Christian Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 13-17mm
Food Plant: Heather
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 1963
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Bray Clough

Selected Images:  

Birch Vale – (2021) -Jane Hewitt©; Bray Clough (2025) – Christian Heintzen©



Distribution Map for Prolita sexpunctella

Found 4 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 2 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 2 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 – Prolita sexpunctella

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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: Prolita sexpunctella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Prolita sexpunctella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

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Recordings By Year: Prolita sexpunctella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Prolita sexpunctella
AGR: 13.18%   |   Total % Change: 400%

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Prolita sexpunctella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Prolita sexpunctella
( 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 - Prolita sexpunctella – 4 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Glossop, Black MoorSK09R06/05/20255adultvc57_irecords_extract
Birch ValeSK08I30/05/20211Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Axe Edge Moor, BuxtonSK06J19/06/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Slagmill Plantataion, Beeley MoorSK36E01/06/19631Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

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