Phyllonorycter stettinensis
This record describes Phyllonorycter stettinensis (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 6.5-7.5 mm. The adult is quite a dark species compared to other Phyllonorycter , with contrasting whitish bands. The larva mines the leaves of Alder, causing a small oval mine on the upper leaf surface (unike other Phyllonorycter on Alder, which mine under-surface). The surface of the mine often looks glossy. The moth has two generations, with flight periods in May and August. The larval foodplant is Alder and it forms a small oval mine on the upper leaf surface, with a crease down the centre. Unlike other species that form an upperside mine, the surface is not papery, but quite glossy and heavily creased. The mine begins green and then turns orange or brown when more mature. A common and widespread moth in England and Wales, with only a very few Scottish records. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.stettinensis.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-stettinensis/
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
Often around Alder.
Seasonal Activity
The moth has two generations, with flight periods in May and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplant is Alder and it forms a small oval mine on the upper leaf surface, with a crease down the centre. Unlike other species that form an upperside mine, the surface is not papery, but quite glossy and heavily creased. The mine begins green and then turns orange or brown when more mature.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A common and widespread moth in England and Wales, with only a very few Scottish records. 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 stettinensis. 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 stettinensis (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter stettinensis
What is Phyllonorycter stettinensis?
Phyllonorycter stettinensis is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter stettinensis found?
Habitat: Often around Alder.
When is Phyllonorycter stettinensis active?
Phyllonorycter stettinensis: seasonal activity - The moth has two generations, with flight periods in May and August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter stettinensis?
The larval foodplant is Alder and it forms a small oval mine on the upper leaf surface, with a crease down the centre. Unlike other species that form an upperside mine, the surface is not papery, but quite glossy and heavily creased. The mine begins green and then turns orange or brown when more mature.