Cydia ulicetana

Alternative names
Common Gorse Moth
Grey Gorse Piercer
Cydia succedana
Description

Wingspan 12-16 mm. A small greyish brown moth. The main markings are at the rear of the wing.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Heathland and moorland, usually around Gorse or Broom.

When to see it

The males fly in sunshine, but the females tend to be more crepuscular. The species is on the wing in May, with a second generation in the South from July to September.

Life History

The larvae feed internally in the seedpods of plants such as Gorse and Broom.

UK Status

A fairly common species throughout the British Isles, though not well recorded. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent but not common in Leicestershire & Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = B (scarce resident or restricted distribution or regular migrant)

Reference
49.325 BF1255

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Grey Gorse Piercer
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tortricidae
Records on NatureSpot:
53
First record:
13/05/2004 (Skevington, Mark)
Last record:
26/05/2023 (Gaten, Ted)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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