Bucculatrix albedinella
This record describes Bucculatrix albedinella (species). Recorded family: Bucculatricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 9mm. A tiny, white and buff species with slight tufts. The larva mines the leaves of Elm. The moths fly in June and can be found resting on the trunks of the foodplant, Elm but it is most often encountered as a larval mine on the leaves. They are distinctive due to their 'divertacula' - small offshoots from the mine itself. The pupal cocoon is not ribbed, unlike most other members of the genus. Distributed in southern to central and north eastern England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/B.albedinella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/bucculatricidae/bucculatrix/bucculatrix-albedinella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Bucculatricidae
- Genus
- Bucculatrix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas where Elm is present.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly in June and can be found resting on the trunks of the foodplant, Elm but it is most often encountered as a larval mine on the leaves. They are distinctive due to their 'divertacula' - small offshoots from the mine itself.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The pupal cocoon is not ribbed, unlike most other members of the genus.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed in southern to central and north eastern England. 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 Bucculatrix albedinella. 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 Bucculatrix albedinella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Bucculatrix albedinella
What is Bucculatrix albedinella?
Bucculatrix albedinella is a species in the family Bucculatricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Bucculatrix albedinella found?
Habitat: Areas where Elm is present.
When is Bucculatrix albedinella active?
Bucculatrix albedinella: seasonal activity - The moths fly in June and can be found resting on the trunks of the foodplant, Elm but it is most often encountered as a larval mine on the leaves. They are distinctive due to their 'divertacula' - small offshoots from the mine itself..
What is the life cycle of a Bucculatrix albedinella?
The pupal cocoon is not ribbed, unlike most other members of the genus.