Phyllonorycter schreberella
This record describes Phyllonorycter schreberella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 6 to 8 mm. A very small moth with a metallic lustre and dark, leaden colours around the head and fringes, with silvery strigulae. The larva mines the leaves of Elm. The adults fly in two generations during May and August. Along with P. tristrigella, this species feeds on elm (Ulmus), although not usually on Wych Elm like that species. However the two mines are quite different - schreberella forming a rounded mine and tristrigella a longer, narrower tube-like mine. It is distributed mainly in the southern half of England and Wales, but can be common in places. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.schreberella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-schreberella/
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
Areas where elm is present.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly in two generations during May and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Along with P. tristrigella, this species feeds on elm (Ulmus), although not usually on Wych Elm like that species. However the two mines are quite different - schreberella forming a rounded mine and tristrigella a longer, narrower tube-like mine.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is distributed mainly in the southern half of England and Wales, but can be common in places. 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 schreberella. 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 schreberella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter schreberella
What is Phyllonorycter schreberella?
Phyllonorycter schreberella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter schreberella found?
Habitat: Areas where elm is present.
When is Phyllonorycter schreberella active?
Phyllonorycter schreberella: seasonal activity - The adults fly in two generations during May and August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter schreberella?
Along with P. tristrigella, this species feeds on elm (Ulmus), although not usually on Wych Elm like that species. However the two mines are quite different - schreberella forming a rounded mine and tristrigella a longer, narrower tube-like mine.