Phyllonorycter strigulatella
This record describes Phyllonorycter strigulatella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 7 to 9 mm. The markings of this species are white, chestnut brown and black. The larva only mines the leaves of Grey Alder ( Alnus incana ), causing a narrow strongly contracted tube-like mine between two veins. Adult is similar to several other species and gen det is necessary to confirm identification. Photograph the leaf with the mine, and ensure you have noted the species of alder. Found in areas where Grey Alder is present. The moth is bivoltine, flying in May and late July and August. The larval foodplant is Grey Alder. The mines formed by the larva are long and narrow. Often there are several to one leaf, and have a distinct brown tinge. This moth occurs in widely separated colonies around its foodplant Grey Alder. It is known from a few isolated places ranging from north-west Britain, through Wales and down to East Anglia and southern Britain. It can be locally very common where it occurs. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.strigulatella.htm
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
Found in areas where Grey Alder is present.
Seasonal Activity
The moth is bivoltine, flying in May and late July and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplant is Grey Alder. The mines formed by the larva are long and narrow. Often there are several to one leaf, and have a distinct brown tinge.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This moth occurs in widely separated colonies around its foodplant Grey Alder. It is known from a few isolated places ranging from north-west Britain, through Wales and down to East Anglia and southern Britain. It can be locally very common where it occurs. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phyllonorycter strigulatella. 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 strigulatella (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter strigulatella
What is Phyllonorycter strigulatella?
Phyllonorycter strigulatella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter strigulatella found?
Habitat: Found in areas where Grey Alder is present.
When is Phyllonorycter strigulatella active?
Phyllonorycter strigulatella: seasonal activity - The moth is bivoltine, flying in May and late July and August..
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter strigulatella?
The larval foodplant is Grey Alder. The mines formed by the larva are long and narrow. Often there are several to one leaf, and have a distinct brown tinge.