62.064 BF1473  –  Pyralidae –  Phycitinae – Ephestia elutella – Cacao Moth – (Hübner, 1796) Adult Micro:  CAT 3 – Very Rare/Scarce/Migrant/Adventive – confusion with leaf mines       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 **
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Ephestia woodiella (Blushed Knot-horn); Ephestia kuehniella (Mediterranean Flour Moth)
Distribution:  (Last record: 7 May 2025 at Findern )  –  Nationally Scarce B – An Adventive found in warehouses feeding on stored materials, especially cacao and tobacco, but also a range of others, such as cereals. Harrison & Sterling reported the moth as an imported species which may establish itself in warehouses! Several accounts from 1905 to 19/6/1963 Weston Underwood. iRecord shows 8 reports all from one garden light trap in Findern between 6/5/2024 – 26/6/2024; DaNES one record from Sawley 11/6/1996.
Flight Period: June /  July /  August /  September /  October /  –  Sometimes found outdoors Moth Activity: Diurnal  Crepuscular  Cathemeral  – Sometimes found outdoors Photographed: No –  Photographed By: Not Recorded
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 15-20mm
Food Plant: Found in warehouses feeding on stored materials, especially cacao and tobacco, but also a range of others, such as cereals.
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Brian Hallam
Last Recorded General Area – Findern

Selected Images:  



Distribution Map for Ephestia elutella

Found 9 records
    ↳ 0 from After 2025
    ↳ 8 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 1 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 – Ephestia elutella

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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: Ephestia elutella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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


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

Shading shows moth presence between dates

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Recordings By Year: Ephestia elutella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Ephestia elutella
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%
Ephestia elutella
Insufficient records/data for an AGR analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2025
Ephestia elutella
Insufficient records/data for a CUSUM analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2025

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Ephestia elutella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Ephestia elutella
( 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 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Ephestia elutella – 9 records available

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

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A03/06/20242adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A11/06/20242adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A13/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A20/06/20243adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A23/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A26/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A06/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A17/05/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Wilmot St, Sawley, Long EatonSK43W11/06/19961Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

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