Species Details

ABH: 22.003

BF: 448a

Family: Praydidae

Taxon: Prays ruficeps

Authority: (Heinemann, 1854)

Vernacular: Cryptic Ash Bud Moth

Account: Wingspan 14-17 mm. Originally thought a dark form of Prays fraxinella , DNA bar coding has indicated that P. ruficeps is a species distinct in its own right. P.fraxinella does have a dark form but in it the faint "fraxinella" markings of the normal, black and white form can still be distinguished. Prays ruficeps is uniformly dark brown/blackish with an orangey red head. Old records of the so-called f. rustica of fraxinella could refer to either, so its historic status is unknowable. The larva feeds on Ash.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 14 — 17 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 1 May (2025) — 10 Sep (2020)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant:

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: None

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/prays-ruficeps/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 13

Individuals: 1

Earliest Year: 2013

Latest Year: 2025

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