Mirificarma mulinella
Gorse Groundling
Wingspan 11 to 15 mm. This moth may frequently be identified by a pair of dark stripes running longitudinally down each forewing. However in some individuals these stripes may merge. In others, they may be absent altogether making identification difficult.
Heathland and wasteland.
The adult moth flies from July to September.
The larvae feed on Gorse and Broom, feeding on the flowers before pupating amongst the leaves on the ground.
Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
It appears to be uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland, where there are few records. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).
Mark Skevington
Whetstone Garden
16 August 2002
sue
Bagworth Beacon
09 May 2021
sue
Bagworth Beacon
09 May 2021
sue
Bagworth Beacon
09 May 2021
sue
Bagworth Beacon
09 May 2021
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
- Gorse Groundling
- Species group:
- insect - moth
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Lepidoptera
- Family:
- Gelechiidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 6
- First record:
- 16/08/2002 (Skevington, Mark)
- Last record:
- 15/08/2023 (Higgott, Mike)
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.