Bedellia somnulentella
This record describes Bedellia somnulentella (species). Recorded family: Bedelliidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 8 mm to 10 mm. A plain looking micromoth with a pale mottled brown appearance. The larva feed on Bindweed and related species, initially in an inconspicuous narrow and very contorted gallery. The egg is oval, not round as with Stigmella species. Later instars leave the gallery and feed in a transparent blotch mine. The rear end of the larva sticks out of the undersurface of the leaf, and threads of frass hang beneath the mine, caught in a loose net of silk. Early instar larvae from the galleries are whitish; later instars have purplish spots and markings. Other insect species cause feeding 'windows' in bindweed; check for early galleries, larvae and frass caught below mine Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplant is found. The adults occur in two generations; in August and October to May, being 'somnolent' in the winter months. The distinctive larva feeds on bindweeds mining the leaves. Widespread in southern Britain, but it is subject to huge fluctuations in numbers. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Bedellia somnulentella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedellia_somnulentella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Bedelliidae
- Genus
- Bedellia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplant is found.
Seasonal Activity
The adults occur in two generations; in August and October to May, being 'somnolent' in the winter months.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The distinctive larva feeds on bindweeds mining the leaves.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread in southern Britain, but it is subject to huge fluctuations in numbers. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Bedellia somnulentella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Bedellia somnulentella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Bedellia somnulentella
What is Bedellia somnulentella?
Bedellia somnulentella is a species in the family Bedelliidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Bedellia somnulentella found?
Habitat: Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplant is found.
When is Bedellia somnulentella active?
Bedellia somnulentella: seasonal activity - The adults occur in two generations; in August and October to May, being 'somnolent' in the winter months..
What is the life cycle of a Bedellia somnulentella?
The distinctive larva feeds on bindweeds mining the leaves.