Phyllonorycter dubitella
This record describes Phyllonorycter dubitella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 8 mm. It mines sallow leaves, creating tentiform mines. Phyllonorycter hilarella and P salicicolella . The mines and larva cannot be distinguished. Adult: Dissection is required to confirm records to full species. Leafmine: Please rear through potential mines – the resulting adult should be retained for gen det. There are two generations of the moth, with leafmines being visible in July and again in September and October, and adults on the wing in May and June, and again in August. The species mines the leaves of Goat Willow, causing the upper surface of the leaf to fold quite dramatically. Generally speaking a species of southern and central England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.dubitella.htm
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
Where the larval host plant occurs.
Seasonal Activity
There are two generations of the moth, with leafmines being visible in July and again in September and October, and adults on the wing in May and June, and again in August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The species mines the leaves of Goat Willow, causing the upper surface of the leaf to fold quite dramatically.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Generally speaking a species of southern and central England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phyllonorycter dubitella. 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 dubitella (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter dubitella
What is Phyllonorycter dubitella?
Phyllonorycter dubitella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter dubitella found?
Habitat: Where the larval host plant occurs.
When is Phyllonorycter dubitella active?
Phyllonorycter dubitella: seasonal activity - There are two generations of the moth, with leafmines being visible in July and again in September and October, and adults on the wing in May and June, and again in August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter dubitella?
The species mines the leaves of Goat Willow, causing the upper surface of the leaf to fold quite dramatically.