Ectoedemia minimella
This record describes Ectoedemia minimella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 5 to 6 mm. The adult moths are very similar to Ectoedemia occultella, being blackish with whitish fascia and eyecaps. Adults may require identification by gen det. Leafmine records need to be supported by images including one of the mine backlit. Please state the host tree species. There is one generation, with moths in May and June and larval mines from July to September. The larvae feed on Birch and Hazel. The mine begins as a contorted gallery, when the young larva can be seen to have dark plates on each segment. These plates are later lost and the gallery becomes a blotch with scattered frass. A fairly frequent, but sometimes local species occurring mainly in the south and west of England and parts of Scotland. It also occurs in south-west Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/E.minimella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/ectoedemia/ectoedemia-minimella/ No additional images available for this species.
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
Associated with Birch and Hazel.
Seasonal Activity
There is one generation, with moths in May and June and larval mines from July to September.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on Birch and Hazel. The mine begins as a contorted gallery, when the young larva can be seen to have dark plates on each segment. These plates are later lost and the gallery becomes a blotch with scattered frass.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A fairly frequent, but sometimes local species occurring mainly in the south and west of England and parts of Scotland. It also occurs in south-west Ireland. 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 Ectoedemia minimella. 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 minimella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Ectoedemia minimella
What is Ectoedemia minimella?
Ectoedemia minimella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Ectoedemia minimella found?
Habitat: Associated with Birch and Hazel.
When is Ectoedemia minimella active?
Ectoedemia minimella: seasonal activity - There is one generation, with moths in May and June and larval mines from July to September..
What is the life cycle of a Ectoedemia minimella?
The larvae feed on Birch and Hazel. The mine begins as a contorted gallery, when the young larva can be seen to have dark plates on each segment. These plates are later lost and the gallery becomes a blotch with scattered frass.