Chrysoesthia sexguttella
Six-spot Neb
Six-spot Crest
Wingspan 8 to 10 mm. The larva mines the leaves of Goosefoot (Chenopodium) and Orache (Atriplex) and other plants in this family, creating a clear blotch mine with black frass in large lumps
Some species of fly also mine Chenopodiaceae, and mines can be similar
Backlit image of mine; note host species
Roadside verges, disturbed and waste areas where the larval foodplants Orache, Fat-hen and Goosefoots are found.
A bivoltine species, with adults on the wing in May and June, then again in August.
The larva is a leaf-miner, creating whitish blotches in the leaves of the foodplants Orache, Fat-hen and Goosefoots.
Widely distributed throughout the British Isles, and common in some places. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Most frequently recorded as a leafmine record in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
Enter a town or village to see local records
MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020
UK Map
Species profile
- Common names
- Six-spot Neb
- Species group:
- insect - moth
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Lepidoptera
- Family:
- Gelechiidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 18
- First record:
- 23/08/2018 (Calow, Graham)
- Last record:
- 01/10/2025 (Timms, Sue)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.












