Phylloporia bistrigella
This record describes Phylloporia bistrigella (species). Recorded family: Incurvariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A very small (Wingspan c.8 mm) dark, but distinctively patterned moth. It is easily overlooked due to its very small size, and is most likely to be recorded from its larval leafmine on Birch (see ‘Life History’ below) Good photographs are required when recording this species at any life stage. This species can sometimes be found in daylight around birches. It is also attracted to light. The larvae feed on Betula species. They mine the leaves of their host plant, usually encircling a good part of the leaf, and finishing in a whitish blotch with scattered frass. It then cuts out an oval case from this position and drops to the ground. The leaf area enclosed within the mine becomes paler and vacated mines are quite distinctive. Locally distributed throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.bistrigella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/adeloidea/heliozelidae/phylloporia/phylloporia-bistrigella/
Wikipedia reference for Phylloporia bistrigella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phylloporia_bistrigella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Adeloidea
- Family
- Incurvariidae (Leafcutter Moths)
- Genus
- Phylloporia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This species can sometimes be found in daylight around birches. It is also attracted to light.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly in May and June.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on
Additional species information
Recorded status
Locally distributed throughout the British Isles. 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 Phylloporia bistrigella. 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 Phylloporia bistrigella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Phylloporia bistrigella
What is Phylloporia bistrigella?
Phylloporia bistrigella is a species in the family Incurvariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Phylloporia bistrigella found?
Habitat: This species can sometimes be found in daylight around birches. It is also attracted to light.
When is Phylloporia bistrigella active?
Phylloporia bistrigella: seasonal activity - The adults fly in May and June..
What is the life cycle of a Phylloporia bistrigella?
The larvae feed on