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62.023 BF1442  – Heather Knot-horn  – Pempelia palumbella  – (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Adult Micro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others –      
PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Black – Uncertain/Unknown – Insufficient Data   
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Pyralidae  >> Phycitinae
** Photograph required / Identification write up required. **
Other Name/s: Oncocera palumbella
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: Quite a distinctive moth with its combination of red and white, and a conspicuous blackish scale tuft close to the head.
Distribution:  (Last record: 1956 at Whaley Bridge )  –  Only one record from Whaley Bridge 1947-56 – Harrison & Sterling – A species of heathland and heather, so should be on the upland moors.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: July /  August –  Adults fly over heather during July – August Moth Activity: Cathemeral  Photographed: No –  Photographed By: Not Recorded
*** Last updated on 14 April 2026 by TD ***
Wingspan: 21-27mm
Food Plant: Heather and possibly Milkwort
Last Recorded Year: 1956
Last Recorded By – Harrison and Sterling (1988)
Last Recorded General Area – Whaley Bridge

Selected Images:  



Temporal Distribution Chart
(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 Pempelia palumbella

No records found
Flying
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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 – Pempelia palumbella

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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: Pempelia palumbella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Pempelia palumbella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )

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

Shading shows moth presence between dates

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Recordings By Year: Pempelia palumbella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Pempelia palumbella
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%
Pempelia palumbella
Insufficient records/data for an AGR analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2026

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Pempelia palumbella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Pempelia palumbella

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 - Pempelia palumbella – 0 records available

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

No records found for Pempelia palumbella.

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