Anacampsis populella

Alternative names
Poplar Roller
Poplar Sober
Description

A very plain grey species. It is difficult to tell from A. blattariella  but that has a different foodplant.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Areas containing Willows, Poplars, Aspen etc.

When to see it

It flies in July and August and can sometimes be found at rest on leaves and trunks of the foodplants as was the case with the individual in the photograph.

Life History

The larva feeds on Willow (Salix) and Poplar (Populus), in a leaf rolled in the manner of a Tortrix.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in England but less so in Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

VC55 Status

It appears to be quite an uncommon species in Leicestershire and Rutland where there are few records. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded)

Reference
35.011 BF853

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Poplar Sober
Species group:
insect - moth
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Gelechiidae
Records on NatureSpot:
2
First record:
12/08/2009 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
29/06/2025 (Johnson, Andrew)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records