Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella
This record describes Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 9 to 10 mm. This is one of several similar looking species but can be identified with care. The larva mines the leaves of Honeysuckle, Snowberry and Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Leycesteria formosa ) causing a large tentiform mine. The pupa is in a brown cocoon and has a distinctive flat pupal cremaster, with two very short spikes. Phyllonorycter trifasciella mines can be very similar but have different cocoon and pupa Photograph the mine and the cocoon or pupa inside Anywhere that the larval foodplants are found. The moth is bivoltine, being in flight in May and August. The larval foodplants are Honeysuckle, Snowberry and occasionally Leycesteria formosa . The underside mines formed are large and cause the leaf to become creased. Mines are found in July and again in September and October. Although this moth is found widely throughout Britain, it tends to be found locally and is seldom common. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.emberizaepenella.htm
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gracillarioidea
- Family
- Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Lithocolletinae
- Genus
- Phyllonorycter
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Anywhere that the larval foodplants are found.
Seasonal Activity
The moth is bivoltine, being in flight in May and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplants are Honeysuckle, Snowberry and occasionally
Additional species information
Recorded status
Although this moth is found widely throughout Britain, it tends to be found locally and is seldom common. 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 Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella. 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 emberizaepenella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella
What is Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella?
Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella found?
Habitat: Anywhere that the larval foodplants are found.
When is Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella active?
Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella: seasonal activity - The moth is bivoltine, being in flight in May and August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella?
The larval foodplants are Honeysuckle, Snowberry and occasionally