Phyllonorycter sorbi
This record describes Phyllonorycter sorbi (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance

Wingspan 7 to 9 mm. The forewing colour is golden brown but is often suffused with blackish on the outer half. The white markings are well defined and partially bordered blackish. The larva commonly mines the leaves of Rowan or Bird Cherry, and occasionally on Whitebeam or other hosts in the Rosaceae, creating a long tentiform mine along the midrib/eaf-edge on Rowan. The under-surface has several sharp folds. The pupa inside is in a strong white cocoon. The mature larva is yellow with a pale brown head. There are several other rarely recorded Phyllonorycter species found on Rowan and Whitebeam Photograph the leaf with mine, and if possible the pupa and cocoon inside. Where Sorbus species (especially Rowan) are present. It flies in April and May and again in August. The larva feeds in a leaf-mine, which is wrinkled on the underside and curved into a tube on the upper surface. The whole leaflet is often strongly contorted. The most usual foodplant is Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), but it is sometimes found on Bird-cherry (Prunus padus) and other species of Sorbus including Swedish Whitebeam (Sorbus intermedia). Distributed throughout the British Isles, this species is generally commoner in the northern half. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
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
Seasonal Activity
It flies in April and May and again in August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds in a leaf-mine, which is wrinkled on the underside and curved into a tube on the upper surface. The whole leaflet is often strongly contorted. The most usual foodplant is Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), but it is sometimes found on Bird-cherry (Prunus padus) and other species of Sorbus including Swedish Whitebeam (Sorbus intermedia).
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed throughout the British Isles, this species is generally commoner in the northern half. 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 sorbi. 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 sorbi (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter sorbi
What is Phyllonorycter sorbi?
Phyllonorycter sorbi is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter sorbi found?
Habitat: Where
When is Phyllonorycter sorbi active?
Phyllonorycter sorbi: seasonal activity - It flies in April and May and again in August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter sorbi?
The larva feeds in a leaf-mine, which is wrinkled on the underside and curved into a tube on the upper surface. The whole leaflet is often strongly contorted. The most usual foodplant is Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), but it is sometimes found on Bird-cherry (Prunus padus) and other species of Sorbus including Swedish Whitebeam (Sorbus intermedia).
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