Parornix anglicella
This record describes Parornix anglicella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 9 to11 mm. Like other members of the genus, this species is very difficult to identify as an adult, and genitalia examination is recommended to be certain. Leafmine occurs on Hawthorn (also on Wild Service Tree) Various habitats, but particularly near hedgerows and areas with Hawthorn. The adult moths are on the wing in two generations, during April and May and again in August. The larval foodplant is Hawthorn, and the mine characteristics are quite distinctive. In its later stages, the larva folds over a leaf lobe to form a diagnostic cone. Widespread and frequent in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.anglicella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/gracillariinae/parornix/parornix-anglicella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Gracillariidae
- Genus
- Parornix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various habitats, but particularly near hedgerows and areas with Hawthorn.
Seasonal Activity
The adult moths are on the wing in two generations, during April and May and again in August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplant is Hawthorn, and the mine characteristics are quite distinctive. In its later stages, the larva folds over a leaf lobe to form a diagnostic cone.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread and frequent in Britain. 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 Parornix anglicella. 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 Parornix anglicella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Parornix anglicella
What is Parornix anglicella?
Parornix anglicella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Parornix anglicella found?
Habitat: Various habitats, but particularly near hedgerows and areas with Hawthorn.
When is Parornix anglicella active?
Parornix anglicella: seasonal activity - The adult moths are on the wing in two generations, during April and May and again in August..
What is the life cycle of a Parornix anglicella?
The larval foodplant is Hawthorn, and the mine characteristics are quite distinctive. In its later stages, the larva folds over a leaf lobe to form a diagnostic cone.