20: ARGYRESTHIIDAE, 22: PRAYDIDAE, 24: BEDELLIIDAE

20.005 Triple-barred Tip Moth (Argyresthia trifasciata) to MV light at Highroad Well on May 25th 2026.

20.006 Juniper Tip Moth (Argyresthia dilectella) in my garden at Skircoat Green, July 14th 2011. Captured by day.

20.007 Cypress Tip Moth netted in my garden at Skircoat Green at dusk on June 25th 2020.

20.007 Cypress Tip Moth to MV light at Mirey Wall Farm near Sowerby on June 24th 2022.

20.011 Gold W (Argyresthia brockeella), North Dean Meadow, June 15th 06. A field observation.

20.012 Brassy Y (Argyresthia goedartella), North Dean Wood, July 10th 06. A field observation on birch just as the sun came out to illuminate the moth. A commonly seen species.

20.013 Sallow Tip Moth (Argyresthia pygmaeella) to MV light at Clock Face Quarry, Krumlin on June 30th 2025.

It looks very worn on the leading half of the wing but under the microscope it was seen to be in pristine condition.

20.016 Speckled Tip Moth (Argyresthia retinella) captured by day along the top of North Dean Wood on July 2nd 09.

20.017 Oak Bark Moth (Argyresthia glaucinella), a female to MV light at Thornhills Meadow, Clifton on June 24th 2026.

20.019 Apple Fruit Moth (Argyresthia conjugella) at Norland Bilberry Slopes, June 28th 2018. A field observation. Practically every Rowan tree on the site had several of these either resting on the leaves or were easily disturbed by gently tapping the branches.

20.020 Purple-washed Tip Moth (Argyresthia semifusca), a field observation at North Dean Wood, Aug. 31st 06. The forewing has a delicate violet flush which just comes through in the photo. It was an unseasonably muggy night which manifested itself the following morning when I was followed by a mini swarm of extremely annoying flies.

20.021 Cherry Fruit Moth (Argyresthia pruniella) on Arthur Stott's plot, Skircoat Green Allotments, July 16th 09. Captured by day.

20.022 Hawthorn Tip Moth (Argyresthia bonnetella), May 31st 2010. Reared from a larva spun up in Hawthorn near Sterne Mill Bridge.

20.023 Dark Blackthorn Tip Moth (Argyresthia albistria), a larva tapped from Blackthorn at North Loop, Cromwell Bottom on Mar. 26th 2026.

Two further larvae were found here the following week by searching for leaves spun together on Blackthorn suckers.

20.023 Dark Blackthorn Tip Moth (Argyresthia albistria) larva, details above. The larva soon spun the stamens together rendering it practically invisible to predators and moth-ers alike. It then began to mine the flowering shoot.

20.023 Dark Blackthorn Tip Moth (Argyresthia albistria) May 29th 2026. It was reared from a larva found on Blackthorn at North Loop, Cromwell Bottom at the beginning of April.

22.002 Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella), feeding signs on Ash at Exley Bank Wood, May 1st 2019. Note the withered shoot with a silk web and frass at the base.

22.002 Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella), a close-up of the feeding signs described above. 

22.002 Ash Bud Moth (Prays fraxinella) at Bankhouse Wood on June 26th 2018. A field observation.

22.003 Cryptic Ash-bud Moth (Prays ruficeps) at the Calder near Milner Royd Nature Reserve on May 16th 2020. A field observation on knapweed.

24.001 Bindweed Sleeper (Bedellia somnulentella) mines on Hedge Bindweed at the Hebble Trail near Salterhebble, July 22nd 2026. It's been a bumper year for this species with many sites no doubt hosting mines. Usually they are rarely if ever found.

24.001 Bindweed Sleeper (Bedellia somnulentella) mines and larva on Hedge Bindweed at North Loop, Cromwell Bottom, Aug. 1st 2026. The larvae occasionally vacate a mine to then start another one.

This was one of two tenanted mines found.

24.001 Bindweed Sleeper (Bedellia somnulentella), a close-up of the larva above. The frass oftens collects beneath the mine on silken threads.

24.001 Bindweed Sleeper (Bedellia somnulentella) pupa,  Aug. 2nd 2026.

The other tenanted mine mentioned above had a pre-pupal larva suspended on silk threads just below the mine. The next day it pupated revealing its beaked profile.

24.001 Bindweed Sleeper (Bedellia somnulentella), Aug. 8th 2026. It was reared from the pupa pictured above and spent just 6 days in the pupal stage.