Roeslerstammia erxlebella
This record describes Roeslerstammia erxlebella (species). Recorded family: Roeslerstammiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan c.13mm. This distinctive metallic-golden micro has when fresh, a purplish-bronze tinge to the area around the base of the forewings. It also sports a noticeably yellow crown and has a white band close to the tip of the antennae. The larva mines the leaves of Lime in a short corridor that appears more like a blotch, at the leaf-edge and usually occupying the leaf-tip. It also occasionally mines Birch leaves. Later instars live freely on the leaf and pupate in a leaf-fold. Larval stage: photograph the leaf mine with backlight; note host species in comments Well wooded areas containing Lime and Birch. There are two generations, at least in the south of the range, with adults on the wing in May and June and again in August and September. The larvae feed on the leaves of Lime and Birch, mining the leaves when young. Mainly distributed in the southern half of England, there are also scattered localities in Wales and in Scotland where the species occurs. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/R.erxlebella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/roeslerstammiiidae/roeslerstammia/roeslerstammia-erxlebella/
Wikipedia reference for Roeslerstammia erxlebella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roeslerstammia_erxlebella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Roeslerstammiidae
- Genus
- Roeslerstammia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Well wooded areas containing Lime and Birch.
Seasonal Activity
There are two generations, at least in the south of the range, with adults on the wing in May and June and again in August and September.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on the leaves of Lime and Birch, mining the leaves when young.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Mainly distributed in the southern half of England, there are also scattered localities in Wales and in Scotland where the species 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 Roeslerstammia erxlebella. 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 Roeslerstammia erxlebella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Roeslerstammia erxlebella
What is Roeslerstammia erxlebella?
Roeslerstammia erxlebella is a species in the family Roeslerstammiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Roeslerstammia erxlebella found?
Habitat: Well wooded areas containing Lime and Birch.
When is Roeslerstammia erxlebella active?
Roeslerstammia erxlebella: seasonal activity - There are two generations, at least in the south of the range, with adults on the wing in May and June and again in August and September..
What is the life cycle of a Roeslerstammia erxlebella?
The larvae feed on the leaves of Lime and Birch, mining the leaves when young.