Phyllonorycter acerifoliella
This record describes Phyllonorycter acerifoliella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 8 mm. One of three similar Acer-feeding species Phyllonorycter acerifoliella larva mines the leaves of Field Maple. The mine is tentiform and nearly always at the leaf edge or leaf tip, folding the leaf over. Occasionally it can be found on the leaf blade. Larval stage: Photograph the underside of the mine, note host species in comments The adults emerge in two generations, in May and again in August The larva feeds on Field Maple and folds the tip of a leaf lobe downwards to create a distinctive and easy-to find mine. Occasionally the mine is not on the leaf edge, but forms a crease in the leaf. Leaf mines can be located during July and more commonly in September and October. The species is distributed over much of England where the food plant is natively established. It is slowly expanding northwards into areas where the tree is introduced. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.acerifoliella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-acerifoliella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Gracillariidae
- Genus
- Phyllonorycter
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
In any area where Field Maple is found.
Seasonal Activity
The adults emerge in two generations, in May and again in August
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds on Field Maple and folds the tip of a leaf lobe downwards to create a distinctive and easy-to find mine. Occasionally the mine is not on the leaf edge, but forms a crease in the leaf. Leaf mines can be located during July and more commonly in September and October.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The species is distributed over much of England where the food plant is natively established. It is slowly expanding northwards into areas where the tree is introduced. 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 Phyllonorycter acerifoliella. 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 Phyllonorycter acerifoliella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter acerifoliella
What is Phyllonorycter acerifoliella?
Phyllonorycter acerifoliella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter acerifoliella found?
Habitat: In any area where Field Maple is found.
When is Phyllonorycter acerifoliella active?
Phyllonorycter acerifoliella: seasonal activity - The adults emerge in two generations, in May and again in August.
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter acerifoliella?
The larva feeds on Field Maple and folds the tip of a leaf lobe downwards to create a distinctive and easy-to find mine. Occasionally the mine is not on the leaf edge, but forms a crease in the leaf. Leaf mines can be located during July and more commonly in September and October.