Phyllonorycter trifasciella
This record describes Phyllonorycter trifasciella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 7-8 mm. This species has a banded patterning of chestnut, off white and dark browns. The larva mines the leaves of Honeysuckle, and occasionally Snowberry or Himalayan Honeysuckle, in a small tentiform mine that contracts diagonally causing the leaf to roll up. There is no cocoon, and the pupal cremaster has a distinctive shape wih two long hooks at the tip and two lateral processes. Phyllonorycter emberizaepennella mines can be similar, but have different pupa and no cocoon Photograph leaf mine and pupa; note host species This species is unusual among Phyllonorycter in having three generations, with adults on the wing in November, as well as the usual May and August periods. The foodplant is Honeysuckle, though occasionally Snowberry and Himalayan Honeysuckle are used. The mine is quite distinctive, occupying a large part of a leaf and causing it to fold and twist into a conical shape. The mines can be quite abundant where it is found. A common and widespread species throughout 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.trifasciella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-trifasciella/
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
Woodland and hedgerows.
Seasonal Activity
This species is unusual among
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The foodplant is Honeysuckle, though occasionally Snowberry and Himalayan Honeysuckle are used. The mine is quite distinctive, occupying a large part of a leaf and causing it to fold and twist into a conical shape. The mines can be quite abundant where it is found.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A common and widespread species throughout 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 trifasciella. 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 trifasciella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phyllonorycter trifasciella
What is Phyllonorycter trifasciella?
Phyllonorycter trifasciella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phyllonorycter trifasciella found?
Habitat: Woodland and hedgerows.
When is Phyllonorycter trifasciella active?
Phyllonorycter trifasciella: seasonal activity - This species is unusual among.
What is the life cycle of a Phyllonorycter trifasciella?
The foodplant is Honeysuckle, though occasionally Snowberry and Himalayan Honeysuckle are used. The mine is quite distinctive, occupying a large part of a leaf and causing it to fold and twist into a conical shape. The mines can be quite abundant where it is found.