Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth

Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth

Cochylis atricapitana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at London

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

16 Verified sightings at London
52 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth

Cochylichroa atricapitana, the black-headed conch, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in China (Xinjiang) and the eastern Palearctic and most of Europe. The wingspan is 10.5–13 mm. Very similar to Cochylis dubitana but differs from this in that the head and thorax are black. The forewings are white with grey or brown basal areas. There is a cross-band slightly basal to the middle (unlike many other Cochylis species this is often complete) and a distal cross-band. The hindwings are light grey-brown, slightly angular behind the apex. The larva is pale orange. Meyrick describes it - Head in male blackish, in female greyish-ochreous. Forewings with costa gently arched; rosy-ochreous -whitish, costa and dorsum strigulated with blackish; a small dark ashy-fuscous basal patch; a spot on costa touching it, a very irregular median fascia, a narrow terminal fascia dilated or furcate on costa, and cilia brown much marked with black; a pale greyish-ochreous cloud above tornus. Hindwings in male whitish-grey strigulated with grey, in female grey. The larva is pale yellow, faintly reddish-tinged above; head light brown; plate of 2 faintly brownish Julius von Kennel provides a full description.

There are two generations per year with adults on wing from May to June and again in August. Cochylichroa atricapitana was formerly a member of the genus Cochylis, but was moved to the redefined genus Cochylichroa in 2019 as a result of phylogenetic analysis. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
2 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
3 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth in London?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth sighting in London on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 842nd most-seen of the 1504 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth in London?

July

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth in London on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth?

Between 11 pm and 2 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is London the best place to see a Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth?

3rd of 3

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth sightings, London ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 10%) and Birmingham (United Kingdom, under 5%).

Where does the Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Ragwort Crown-Boring Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in London (16 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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