Gracillaria syringella
This record describes Gracillaria syringella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10-13 mm. This is another distinctive Caloptilia. Although quite variable, this is the best marked of the group. The larva mines the leaves of Lilac, Ash, Privet and Jasmine, often gregariously, in a large blotch mine. The adults fly in May and again in July. The larvae feed on Lilac, Ash, Privet and Jasmine and can be a pest in gardens. Often, many leaves on a single bush turn brown and curl up with the mines. A common species throughout Britain. They and can be very common indeed where the mines are to be found. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/C.syringella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/gracillariinae/gracillaria/gracillaria-syringella/
Wikipedia reference for Gracillaria syringella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracillaria syringella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gracillarioidea
- Family
- Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gracillariinae
- Genus
- Gracillaria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Gardens and woodland.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly in May and again in July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on Lilac, Ash, Privet and Jasmine and can be a pest in gardens. Often, many leaves on a single bush turn brown and curl up with the mines.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A common species throughout Britain. They and can be very common indeed where the mines are to be found. 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 Gracillaria syringella. 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 Gracillaria syringella (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Gracillaria syringella
What is Gracillaria syringella?
Gracillaria syringella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Gracillaria syringella found?
Habitat: Gardens and woodland.
When is Gracillaria syringella active?
Gracillaria syringella: seasonal activity - The adults fly in May and again in July..
What is the life cycle of a Gracillaria syringella?
The larvae feed on Lilac, Ash, Privet and Jasmine and can be a pest in gardens. Often, many leaves on a single bush turn brown and curl up with the mines.