Caloptilia stigmatella
This record describes Caloptilia stigmatella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 12 to 14 mm. A small but distinctive species, resting in the characteristic erect posture typical of the genus Caloptilia . The forelegs are thickly scaled at the base, appearing 'feathered'. The body is chestnut brown with a noticeable white triangle midway along the body length. The larva mines the leaves of Willow and Poplar, intially in a long narrow corridor usually on the undersurface of the leaf, then in a silvery blotch that developes into a tentiform mine with a brown epidermis. Finally the larva leaves the mine to live in a folded leaf margin or leaf-tip. Photograph the mine and/or the leaf fold; note the host species in the Comments Various habitats, especially places where the larval foodplants are found. It flies in late June and July, and again from September onwards. Fairly frequent throughout England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/C.stigmatella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/gracillariinae/caloptilia/caloptilia-stigmatella/
Wikipedia reference for Caloptilia stigmatella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloptilia stigmatella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gracillarioidea
- Family
- Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gracillariinae
- Genus
- Caloptilia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various habitats, especially places where the larval foodplants are found.
Seasonal Activity
It flies in late June and July, and again from September onwards.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Fairly frequent throughout England and Wales. 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 Caloptilia stigmatella. 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 Caloptilia stigmatella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Caloptilia stigmatella
What is Caloptilia stigmatella?
Caloptilia stigmatella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Caloptilia stigmatella found?
Habitat: Various habitats, especially places where the larval foodplants are found.
When is Caloptilia stigmatella active?
Caloptilia stigmatella: seasonal activity - It flies in late June and July, and again from September onwards..