Brilliant Neb, Flame Seedhead Moth
ENEndangered

Brilliant Neb, Flame Seedhead Moth

Metzneria aprilella

Metzneria aprilella, the brilliant neb, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is widely distributed throughout Europe.

27

Countries

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metzneria_aprilella

01Classification

Taxonomy & Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Lepidoptera

Family

Gelechiidae

Genus

Metzneria

Brilliant Neb, Flame Seedhead Moth belongs to the family Gelechiidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.

02Description

Species Profile

Metzneria aprilella, the brilliant neb, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is widely distributed throughout Europe. Outside of Europe, it is found in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran and southern Siberia. The habitat consists of waste ground and grassland.

The Flame Seedhead Moth faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized chalk grassland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in traditional grazing management have significantly reduced the availability of suitable breeding sites where its host plants occur.

Key Facts

IUCN StatusEndangered (EN)
GroupInsects
03Habitat

Habitat & Distribution

TERRESTRIALMajor
04Threats

Threats

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IUCN Red List: Endangered

The Flame Seedhead Moth faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized chalk grassland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in traditional grazing management have significantly reduced the availability of suitable breeding sites where its host plants occur.

Agricultural intensification and conversion

HighOngoing

Habitat loss and fragmentation of chalk grasslands

HighOngoing

Climate change affecting host plant distribution

MediumOngoing

Loss of traditional grazing management

MediumOngoing

Urban development and infrastructure expansion

MediumOngoing
Community

Community Sightings

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07Sources

Sources & Attribution

How to Cite

IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS

GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org

This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Brilliant Neb, Flame Seedhead Moth (Metzneria aprilella). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/brilliant-neb-flame-seedhead-moth

Full citation guide & data usage terms