Paracrania chrysolepidella
This record describes Paracrania chrysolepidella (species). Recorded family: Eriocraniidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 11 mm. A small moth with a mottled purple wing pattern. The larvae feed on Hazel creating fairly large blotch mines. See links below under 'Further Information' Adult very similar to E. cicatricella - they can only be separated by dissection of the genitalia. Adult: specimens must be confirmed by gen det. Leafmine: because of the rarity of this species in our area photographs of the leaf and leafmine are required and if possible, images of the larva. Please state the host plant when submitting your record. Wooded areas where the larval host plants, Hazel or Hornbeam are present. Like most of its close relatives, it is a spring-flying species, being at large during April in its adult form. The larva feeds in April and May on Hazel or Hornbeam creating blotches with intertwining threads of frass, typical of the genus. As no other British Eriocraniidae species feeds on the same foodplants, identification of mines is straightforward. The scarcest and most local of the Eriocrania species in the British Isles, occurring sparingly in parts of England and Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Paracrania chrysolepidella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriocrania_chrysolepidella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Eriocraniidae
- Genus
- Paracrania
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Wooded areas where the larval host plants, Hazel or Hornbeam are present.
Seasonal Activity
Like most of its close relatives, it is a spring-flying species, being at large during April in its adult form.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds in April and May on Hazel or Hornbeam creating blotches with intertwining threads of frass, typical of the genus. As no other British Eriocraniidae species feeds on the same foodplants, identification of mines is straightforward.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The scarcest and most local of the Eriocrania species in the British Isles, occurring sparingly in parts of England and Ireland. 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 Paracrania chrysolepidella. 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 Paracrania chrysolepidella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Paracrania chrysolepidella
What is Paracrania chrysolepidella?
Paracrania chrysolepidella is a species in the family Eriocraniidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Paracrania chrysolepidella found?
Habitat: Wooded areas where the larval host plants, Hazel or Hornbeam are present.
When is Paracrania chrysolepidella active?
Paracrania chrysolepidella: seasonal activity - Like most of its close relatives, it is a spring-flying species, being at large during April in its adult form..
What is the life cycle of a Paracrania chrysolepidella?
The larva feeds in April and May on Hazel or Hornbeam creating blotches with intertwining threads of frass, typical of the genus. As no other British Eriocraniidae species feeds on the same foodplants, identification of mines is straightforward.