Pseudoswammerdamia combinella

Alternative names
Little Buff-tip
Copper-tipped Ermel
Copper-tipped Ermine
Description

Wingspan 13 to 16 mm. One of the larger species in its group. The dark-bordered orange spot at the end of the forewing is diagnostic.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Around Blackthorn, the larval foodplant.

When to see it

Flying in May and June, the adults are sometimes attracted to light.

Life History

Blackthorn is the foodplant, the small larvae leaf-mining at first and then later living externally in a silken web.

UK Status

Distributed throughout 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
16.014 BF436

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
Copper-tipped Ermel
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Yponomeutidae
Records on NatureSpot:
33
First record:
14/04/2011 (Skevington, Mark)
Last record:
29/04/2024 (Pugh, Dylan)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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