Ectoedemia heringella
This record describes Ectoedemia heringella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The larvae feed on Holm Oak ( Quercus ilex ) and related species, creating a contorted gallery mine filled with dark frass. The first part is very narrow, but it widens abruptly in the later part. Usually there are several larvae mining a single leaf and it can be extremely abundant. The adult moths emerge in June or July and like many of the group are rarely encountered, unless they are reared from mines collected in the autumn or winter. Mines occur on host Holm Oak and related species from November through to April. This species was first discovered in England in 1996, when it was found in Greater London but its identity was not confirmed until 2001. Since then it has been found across a large part of south-eastern England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/E.heringella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/ectoedemia/ectoedemia-heringella/#:~:text=Found%20by%20Martin%20Honey%20for,of%20the%20native%20Holm%20Oak.
Wikipedia reference for Ectoedemia heringella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectoedemia_heringella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Nepticuloidea
- Family
- Nepticulidae (Pygmy Eye-capped Moths)
- Genus
- Ectoedemia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas where Holm Oak is present.
Seasonal Activity
The adult moths emerge in June or July and like many of the group are rarely encountered, unless they are reared from mines collected in the autumn or winter.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Mines occur on host Holm Oak and related species from November through to April.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This species was first discovered in England in 1996, when it was found in Greater London but its identity was not confirmed until 2001. Since then it has been found across a large part of south-eastern England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ectoedemia heringella. 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 Ectoedemia heringella (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Ectoedemia heringella
What is Ectoedemia heringella?
Ectoedemia heringella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Ectoedemia heringella found?
Habitat: Areas where Holm Oak is present.
When is Ectoedemia heringella active?
Ectoedemia heringella: seasonal activity - The adult moths emerge in June or July and like many of the group are rarely encountered, unless they are reared from mines collected in the autumn or winter..
What is the life cycle of a Ectoedemia heringella?
Mines occur on host Holm Oak and related species from November through to April.