Phyllocnistis unipunctella
This record describes Phyllocnistis unipunctella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 7 to 8 mm. A tiny whitish moth with some yellowish suffusion and a distinct black spot near the wing apex. The larva mines the leaves of Lombardy Poplar, hybrid Black Poplar and other poplars, producing a winding, thin, silvery, translucent gallery resembling a 'snail trail' in the upper epidermis of the leaves which leads towards the leaf edge. It then folds the leaf edge over and pupates in a cocoon in the fold. Phyllocnistis xenia makes similar mines on Grey or White Poplar The adults fly in July and from September onwards, overwintering sometimes in haystacks. It is fairly common in most of England, becoming scarcer further north. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.unipunctella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/phyllocnistinae/phyllocnistis/phyllocnistis-unipunctella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Gracillariidae
- Genus
- Phyllocnistis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Where the larval foodplants occur.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly in July and from September onwards, overwintering sometimes in haystacks.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is fairly common in most of England, becoming scarcer further north. 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 Phyllocnistis unipunctella. 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 Phyllocnistis unipunctella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllocnistis unipunctella
What is Phyllocnistis unipunctella?
Phyllocnistis unipunctella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllocnistis unipunctella found?
Habitat: Where the larval foodplants occur.
When is Phyllocnistis unipunctella active?
Phyllocnistis unipunctella: seasonal activity - The adults fly in July and from September onwards, overwintering sometimes in haystacks..