Bee Moth - Aphomia sociella

Description

Wingspan 18 to 44 mm. This species is sexually dimorphic but both sexes are somewhat variable. Males have a creamy white head, thorax and forewing proximal to the antemedian line. Females  have two black discal spots between the antemedian (first) and postmedian (second) lines, the more distal being the larger.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Common around bee and wasp nests and beehives throughout Britain.

When to see it

June to August.

Life History

Larva feeds on the debris in and the contents of wasp and bee nests.

UK Status

Fairly common over much of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

VC55 Status

Quite common in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = A (common and resident)

Reference
62.001 BF1428

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
Bee Moth
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Pyralidae
Records on NatureSpot:
665
First record:
16/06/2002 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
09/05/2024 (Leese, Eric)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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