Ectoedemia intimella
This record describes Ectoedemia intimella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 6 mm. The adult is mostly blackish with a slight purple sheen and an obvious white or creamy blotch. The head is orange or yellowish. The larvae mine the leaves of sallow ( Salix ), especially S. caprea and S cinerea , initially galling the leaf petiole before moving to the the midrib of the leaf. Subsequently it mines into the leaf-blade, forming a distinctive blotch which often contains two lines of frass. The larva can be found in fallen leaves into December, feeding in 'green islands'. Adults: Determination by Genitalia Examination (gen. det.) Required. Leafmine: Good photograph required preferably backlit to show frass within the mine and larva if present. Please also state the host species. Areas where the host willows occur, especially Goat Willow ( Salix caprea ). Adults are on the wing in June, in a single generation. Leafmines may be found between July and November. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/E.intimella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/ectoedemia/ectoedemia-intimella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Nepticulidae
- Genus
- Ectoedemia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas where the host willows occur, especially Goat Willow (
Seasonal Activity
Adults are on the wing in June, in a single generation. Leafmines may be found between July and November.
Additional species information
Recorded status
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 Ectoedemia intimella. 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 intimella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Ectoedemia intimella
What is Ectoedemia intimella?
Ectoedemia intimella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Ectoedemia intimella found?
Habitat: Areas where the host willows occur, especially Goat Willow (
When is Ectoedemia intimella active?
Ectoedemia intimella: seasonal activity - Adults are on the wing in June, in a single generation. Leafmines may be found between July and November..