Local in woodland, gardens, orchards and parks throughout much of southern Britain. Recorded very infrequently in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, although perhaps more common than the records suggest. Wingspan 5-6 mm. Adults of this species and S. perpygmaeella are difficult to distinguish except by dissection of the genitalia; however, S. incognitella tends to be slightly larger, the forewing is darker and more obviously glossed with purple, the cilia are darker at the tips, and the hindwing is slightly darker, especially in the male (MBGBI Vol 1). Larva mines leaves of Apple, over-wintering as a pupa.
Flightime guide |
Stage | J | F | M |
A | M | J |
J | A | S |
O | N | D |
Adult |
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Larval |
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Detail records |
Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
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VC10 Isle of Wight |
Yarmouth (SZ38) | 1926 | - | Fassnidge, W | Larval |
St Helens (SZ68) | 1959 | - | Ffennell, DWH | Mine |
Freshwater (SZ38) | 08-Oct-2006 | - | Langmaid, JR; Biggs, DT; Wall, MJ; Norriss, TJ | Mine |
Middleton (SZ38) | 02-Nov-2013 | one | Cooke, Dave | Mine (vacated) |
Totland Bay (SZ38) | 08-Dec-2013 | two | Cooke, Dave | Mine (vacated) |
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VC11 South Hampshire |
Rowner (SU50) | 05-Oct-1976 | one | Dickson, Richard | Mine (vacated) |
Rowner (SU50) | 05-Oct-1977 | - | Dickson, Richard | Larval |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 18-Jul-1998 | one | Dickson, Richard | Mine (vacated) |
Hayling (SZ69) | 24-Jul-2003 | one | Langmaid, John & Young, Mark | Mine |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 14-Oct-2003 | - | Langmaid, John & Dickson, RIchard | Mine |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 14-Oct-2003 | two | Dickson, Richard | Mine |
Portsdown (SU60) | 24-Oct-2003 | - | Elliott, Brian & Langmaid, John | Mine |
Linwood (SU10) | 02-Sep-2004 | - | Langmaid, JR; Goater, B; Goater, J | Mine (vacated) |
Marwell (SU52) | 13-Oct-2004 | - | Green, David G | Larval |
Botley Wood (SU50) | 02-Nov-2006 | - | Langmaid, John & Thirlwell, Ian | Mine (vacated) |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 31-Oct-2007 | - | Langmaid, John | Mine |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 31-Oct-2007 | - | Langmaid, John | Mine |
Eastney (SZ69) | 12-Nov-2007 | - | Langmaid, John | Mine (vacated) |
Sinah Common, Hayling (SZ79) | 27-Jul-2008 | one | Langmaid, John, M.R. & J.E. Young | Mine (vacated) |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 28-Sep-2008 | two | Langmaid, John & Young, Mark | Mine (vacated) |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 28-Sep-2008 | two | Langmaid, John & Young, Mark | Mine (vacated) |
Eastney (SZ69) | 19-Jul-2011 | - | Elliott, Brian & Langmaid, John | Mine (vacated) |
Milton Common (SU60) | 23-Jul-2011 | one | Langmaid, John & Thirlwell, Ian | Mine (vacated) |
Portsdown (SU60) | 17-Aug-2011 | - | Langmaid, John & Dickson, RIchard | Mine (vacated) |
Portsdown (SU60) | 17-Aug-2011 | two | Langmaid, John | Mine (vacated) |
Eastney (SZ69) | 12-Jul-2012 | one | Langmaid, John | Mine |
Eastney (SZ69) | 15-Oct-2013 | - | Langmaid, John & Palmer, S M | Mine |
Wickham Common (SU51) | 08-Oct-2014 | one | Langmaid, John & Young, Mark | Mine (vacated) |
Southampton (SU41) | 31-Oct-2014 | - | Elliott, Brian & Langmaid, John | Mine |
Eastney (SZ69) | 23-Jun-2017 | six | Langmaid, John & Palmer, S M | Mine (vacated) |
Eastney (SZ69) | 14-Nov-2018 | - | Langmaid, John | Mine |
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VC12 North Hampshire |
Wildhern (SU35) | 21-Jul-1996 | - | Green, David G | Larval |
South Wonston (SU43) | 09-Jul-1998 | one | Smith, PJS | Adult |
Rotherwick (SU65) | 11-Jul-2006 | - | Dobson, Tony | Mine |
Greywell (SU75) | 13-Aug-2008 | - | Boswell, PA | Mine |
Fleet (SU85) | 30-Aug-2008 | one | Edmunds, RD | Mine |
Weston Colley (SU53) | 07-Oct-2010 | - | Green, David G | Larval |
Basingstoke (SU65) | 31-Jul-2011 | one | Wall, Mike | Mine (vacated) |
Pamber Forest (SU66) | 04-Oct-2015 | - | Dennis, Graham | Mine (vacated) |
Pamber Forest (SU66) | 20-Aug-2017 | - | Dennis, Graham | Mine (vacated) |
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VC22 West Berkshire (Hants county) |
Mortimer (SU66) | 19-Jul-2010 | one | Dennis, Graham | Adult |
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