Phyllonorycter spinicolella
This record describes Phyllonorycter spinicolella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 6 to 8 mm. The adult moths are very similar in appearance to P. cerasicolella and the two species are best separated by genitalia dissection or by recording as a leafmine with a note of the host foodplant. The larva mines the leaves of Prunus (usually Blackthorn). Areas where the larval foodplants occur. The moths fly in two generations, in May and August. The larvae feed on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) or sometimes Wild Plum (Prunus domestica). On Blackthorn the mines are narrow and cause the leaf to pucker strongly, often folding right over, and being whitish can resemble those of the blackthorn-feeding Parornix species. A common and widespread species throughout most of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.spinicolella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-spinicolella/
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 the larval foodplants occur.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly in two generations, in May and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) or sometimes Wild Plum (Prunus domestica). On Blackthorn the mines are narrow and cause the leaf to pucker strongly, often folding right over, and being whitish can resemble those of the blackthorn-feeding Parornix species.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A common and widespread species throughout most of the British Isles. 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 spinicolella. 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 spinicolella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter spinicolella
What is Phyllonorycter spinicolella?
Phyllonorycter spinicolella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter spinicolella found?
Habitat: Areas where the larval foodplants occur.
When is Phyllonorycter spinicolella active?
Phyllonorycter spinicolella: seasonal activity - The moths fly in two generations, in May and August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter spinicolella?
The larvae feed on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) or sometimes Wild Plum (Prunus domestica). On Blackthorn the mines are narrow and cause the leaf to pucker strongly, often folding right over, and being whitish can resemble those of the blackthorn-feeding Parornix species.