Stigmella viscerella - leaf mine on Elm - 22nd October 2026 - Wyver Land, Belper - dave Evans - New species for VC57
4.019 BF95  – Plain Elm Dot  – Stigmella viscerella  – Stainton 1853
Adult Micro:  CAT 4 – Dissection required – Gen-Det-Reqd       Leaf-miner:  CAT L – The leaf or a Photo required – reared and possibly dissected      
PDF Icon – click for General Verification Guidelines  |   PDF Icon – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Verification Notes: CAT 4 for adult Gen Det required

Brown –  Significant Record / Rare / Vagrant         purple – Leaf-miner
Taxonomy:   Micro   >>  Nepticulidae  >> Nepticulinae
Other Name/s: Plain Elm Pigmy
ID Difficulty:  Red  – difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Stigmella atricapitella; Stigmella samiatella
ID pointers: The adult is tiny possessing a wingspan of 5-6mm. It features plain bronzy-olive forewings that gradually darken into a deeper brown towards the apex. A buffy head and buff wing fringes.
Distribution:  In the UK the moth is considered to be local but widespread across England, extending north to Durham. A first record of this species for Derbyshire when the Leaf Mine was discovered at Wyver Lane, Belper 22nd October 2026
General Comment: This moth is famous for the highly unique, intestine-like paths it’s larvae create inside elm leaves.
Flight Period: May /  June –  Single brooded Mine Period:  August /  September /  October
Mine Period Additional: None.
Mine ID Difficulty:  Amber Mine Leaf – Care required in ID process as confusion with similar leaf mines. Quality photos of the mine required.
Mine Type/s:  Gallery
Mine Feeding Method/s: Not Recorded
Mine Comment: The larva creates a strongly contorted gallery mine that twists back and forth in incredibly tight S-shaped gut-like loops. These loops are often packed so tightly together that the mine can initially look like a small brown blotch on the leaf. The Frass fills nearly the entire width of the corridor and has a striking reddish-brown colour, transitioning to black toward the end.
Moth Activity: Cathemeral  Photographed: Yes –   Photographed By: Dave Evans (leaf mine)  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 23 October 2026 by TD ***
Wingspan: 5-6mm
Food Plant: Elm
Last Recorded Year: 2026
First Recorded Year: 2026
Last Recorded By – Dave Evans
Last Recorded General Area – Wyver Lane, Belper

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Images of Interest:



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.


Changes in First and Last Recorded Activity Dates Over Time
Activity Data Range: – – –
Earliest Appearance: No useable dates available
Latest Appearance: No useable dates available

This chart presents a time-series summary of recorded observations. It is based on available records at the time of analysis and will evolve as further data are added. The five-year moving average provides a smoothed representation of variation in recorded adult and immature activity over time, helping to illustrate longer-term trends in the earliest and latest recorded dates.

Annual record totals are shown for context; years with fewer records may provide a less complete representation of activity than years with higher recording intensity. Interpretation should consider that apparent trends may reflect both biological change and variation in recording effort.

Note: Clicking either the Adult Range.... or Immature Range... legends allows you to hide them, to show more discrete data.


Distribution Map for Stigmella viscerella

No records found
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Mining
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If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.

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 – Stigmella viscerella

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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.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Stigmella viscerella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

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

First/Last Recorded Dates: Stigmella viscerella
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: Stigmella viscerella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Stigmella viscerella
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%
Stigmella viscerella
Insufficient records/data for an AGR analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2026

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Stigmella viscerella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Stigmella viscerella

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
Stigmella viscerella
( 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 - Stigmella viscerella – 0 records available

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

No records found for Stigmella viscerella.

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