Phyllonorycter pastorella
This record describes Phyllonorycter pastorella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan is 8 to 9.5 mm. The larva mines the leaves of long-leaved (smooth-leaved) willows such as Crack-willow, White Willow and Weeping Willow. The mines are large and have a single sharp crease on the undeside. The pupal cremaster has two very small pairs of thorns. Several other Phyllonorycter species mine Willow Adult: Please provide photographs and retain the specimen for confirmation by gen det. Leafmine: Please provide photographs of the mine showing both the upper surface and underside of the mine. Please also state the approximate length of the mine and the host plant species. Water margins and damp areas where the larval foodplants occur. Adult flight period in Britain remains uncertain but thought to be one or more generations, August-October overwintering as an adult. Leafmines may be found from late September through to November. The larvae feed on the long-leaved (smooth-leaved) willows such as Crack-willow, White Willow and Weeping Willow. Discovered in central London in 2014 new to Britain and now breeding here.
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
Water margins and damp areas where the larval foodplants occur.
Seasonal Activity
Adult flight period in Britain remains uncertain but thought to be one or more generations, August-October overwintering as an adult. Leafmines may be found from late September through to November.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on the long-leaved (smooth-leaved) willows such as Crack-willow, White Willow and Weeping Willow.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Discovered in central London in 2014 new to Britain and now breeding here.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phyllonorycter pastorella. 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 pastorella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter pastorella
What is Phyllonorycter pastorella?
Phyllonorycter pastorella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Phyllonorycter pastorella?
of the mine and the host plant species.
Where is Phyllonorycter pastorella found?
Habitat: Water margins and damp areas where the larval foodplants occur.
When is Phyllonorycter pastorella active?
Phyllonorycter pastorella: seasonal activity - Adult flight period in Britain remains uncertain but thought to be one or more generations, August-October overwintering as an adult. Leafmines may be found from late September through to November..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter pastorella?
The larvae feed on the long-leaved (smooth-leaved) willows such as Crack-willow, White Willow and Weeping Willow.