Phyllonorycter geniculella
This record describes Phyllonorycter geniculella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Phyllonorycter geniculella is a small moth with a wingspan of 8 mm. It is a beautiful but tiny species, having a white base colour with rufous, darker-edged chevrons, the first of which often 'extrudes' into the next. The larva mines the leaves of Sycamore. The mine is rounded, between the veins. It can be found resting on the trunks of Sycamore, but being so small can be difficult to find. The moths are on the wing in May and August. The larva feeds in a leaf mine in a Sycamore leaf, sometimes causing it to curl at the edge. It is a common species over much of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.geniculella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-geniculella/ No additional images available for this species.
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
It can be found resting on the trunks of Sycamore, but being so small can be difficult to find.
Seasonal Activity
The moths are on the wing in May and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds in a leaf mine in a Sycamore leaf, sometimes causing it to curl at the edge.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is a common species over much of 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 Phyllonorycter geniculella. 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 geniculella (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter geniculella
What is Phyllonorycter geniculella?
Phyllonorycter geniculella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter geniculella found?
Habitat: It can be found resting on the trunks of Sycamore, but being so small can be difficult to find.
When is Phyllonorycter geniculella active?
Phyllonorycter geniculella: seasonal activity - The moths are on the wing in May and August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter geniculella?
The larva feeds in a leaf mine in a Sycamore leaf, sometimes causing it to curl at the edge.