Bucculatrix nigricomella
This record describes Bucculatrix nigricomella (species). Recorded family: Bucculatricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 7 to 8 mm. A small, but fairly distinctive member of the Bucculatrix genus, with its general dark colouration with diffuse paler markings, and noticeable whitish eye-caps. The larva mines the leaves of Oxeye Daisy, making a long thin meandering gallery. Later instars leave the gallery and feed freely on the leaf. Several species of fly make gallery mine Ox-eye Daisy leaves - check for fly maggots/puparia The adults have two generations, flying in April and May and again in late July and August. The larvae mine the leaves of Oxeye Daisy It is widely distributed over much of the British Isles, though absent in some places. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/B.nigricomella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/bucculatricidae/bucculatrix/bucculatrix-nigricomella/
Wikipedia reference for Bucculatrix nigricomella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucculatrix_nigricomella.
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
Where Oxeye Daisy is present.
Seasonal Activity
The adults have two generations, flying in April and May and again in late July and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae mine the leaves of Oxeye Daisy
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is widely distributed over much of the British Isles, though absent in some places. 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 nigricomella. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bucculatrix nigricomella
What is Bucculatrix nigricomella?
Bucculatrix nigricomella is a species in the family Bucculatricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Bucculatrix nigricomella found?
Habitat: Where Oxeye Daisy is present.
When is Bucculatrix nigricomella active?
Bucculatrix nigricomella: seasonal activity - The adults have two generations, flying in April and May and again in late July and August..
What is the life cycle of a Bucculatrix nigricomella?
The larvae mine the leaves of Oxeye Daisy