Bucculatrix cidarella
This record describes Bucculatrix cidarella (species). Recorded family: Bucculatricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 9 mm. The larva of this species creates a gallery mine in the leaves of Alder, and in some localities Bog Myrtle. The mine is narrow and almost filled with black frass, starting from a rough black egg-case. This is a rarely recorded species in our area and it may be necessary to get expert confirmation of species identification before records are accepted. Photographs are required to support all records. For leafmine records please include a backlit image and also state the host plant. Tenanted mines can be found in August and September. The adults are rather more difficult to locate, and fly in May and June, sometimes with a second generation in August. Distributed widely across much of the British Isles, though not always common. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/B.cidarella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/bucculatricidae/bucculatrix/bucculatrix-cidarella/
Wikipedia reference for Bucculatrix cidarella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucculatrix_cidarella.
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
Damp areas where Alder occurs.
Seasonal Activity
Tenanted mines can be found in August and September. The adults are rather more difficult to locate, and fly in May and June, sometimes with a second generation in August.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed widely across much of the British Isles, though not always common. 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 cidarella. 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 cidarella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Bucculatrix cidarella
What is Bucculatrix cidarella?
Bucculatrix cidarella is a species in the family Bucculatricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Bucculatrix cidarella found?
Habitat: Damp areas where Alder occurs.
When is Bucculatrix cidarella active?
Bucculatrix cidarella: seasonal activity - Tenanted mines can be found in August and September. The adults are rather more difficult to locate, and fly in May and June, sometimes with a second generation in August..