Bucculatrix thoracella
This record describes Bucculatrix thoracella (species). Recorded family: Bucculatricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 6 to 8 mm. A tiny but easily distinguished species, showing large brown patches on a yellow ground colour and a narrow brown streak extending into the cilia. The larva mines the leaves of Lime, creating a small hook-shaped mine; later instars feed freely on the leaves. Larval stages: Photograph backlit mine, note host species in comments It is associated with Small-leaved Lime and sometimes Common Lime. The moths fly in June, and sometimes again in August in the south. The larvae mine the leaves of its host trees at first, and then create small feeding windows. Fairly frequent. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/B.thoracella11.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/bucculatricidae/bucculatrix/bucculatrix-thoracella/
Wikipedia reference for Bucculatrix thoracella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucculatrix_thoracella.
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
It is associated with Small-leaved Lime and sometimes Common Lime.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly in June, and sometimes again in August in the south.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae mine the leaves of its host trees at first, and then create small feeding windows.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Fairly frequent. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Bucculatrix thoracella. 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 thoracella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Bucculatrix thoracella
What is Bucculatrix thoracella?
Bucculatrix thoracella is a species in the family Bucculatricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Bucculatrix thoracella found?
Habitat: It is associated with Small-leaved Lime and sometimes Common Lime.
When is Bucculatrix thoracella active?
Bucculatrix thoracella: seasonal activity - The moths fly in June, and sometimes again in August in the south..
What is the life cycle of a Bucculatrix thoracella?
The larvae mine the leaves of its host trees at first, and then create small feeding windows.