Pammene regiana

Alternative names
Regal Piercer
Description

Wingspan 13 to 16 mm. A rich dark brown moth with a large yellow dorsal blotch.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Where Sycamore is present.

When to see it

On the wing from May to July. The adults fly from late afternoon into the night, and can be attracted to light.

Life History

The larvae feed inside the seeds of Sycamore, and pupate in a crevice of the bark. Newly hatched moths can sometimes be found resting on the bark before they move higher into the canopy.

UK Status

Fairly common over most of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

VC55 Status

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant).

Reference
49.375 BF1234

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
Regal Piercer
Species group:
insect - moth
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tortricidae
Records on NatureSpot:
16
First record:
13/06/2014 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
26/04/2026 (Nicholls, David)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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