Saxifrage Plume
Stenoptilia millieridactyla
This record describes Stenoptilia millieridactyla (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 17 to 20 mm. Often has a bronzy colouring along the dorsum (trailing edge) of the hind wing. The adults fly in June and July, with a small second generation in late August and early September in some years. Larvae have been found occasionally on wild Mossy saxifrage (Saxifraga hypnoides) but other larval records are from cultivars of S. hypnoides in gardens. Garden records may originate from larvae introduced with bought plants, but the moth is able to spread between gardens, and has mainly been found in areas not very distant from wild populations of S. hypnoides. From late August the young larvae unobtrusively mine leaves and stems of the foodplant. Leaf mines are largest and most easily detected in the following April, but larvae are most obvious in May and early June when they feed externally on the leaves and flowers of Mossy saxifrage. The red stripes on 5mm larvae usually fade as they grow. Pupae in June and July, and sometimes August, are attached to the plant. Rather scarce and local in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as as Nationally Scarce B.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Pterophoridae
- Genus
- Stenoptilia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various habitats including gardens.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly in June and July, with a small second generation in late August and early September in some years.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Rather scarce and local in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as as Nationally Scarce B.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Stenoptilia millieridactyla. 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 Saxifrage Plume (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Saxifrage Plume
What is Saxifrage Plume?
Saxifrage Plume (Stenoptilia millieridactyla) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Saxifrage Plume found?
Habitat: Various habitats including gardens.
When is Saxifrage Plume active?
Saxifrage Plume: seasonal activity - The adults fly in June and July, with a small second generation in late August and early September in some years..