Stigmella hemargyrella
This record describes Stigmella hemargyrella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The adults are small and dark, with a pale patch centrally on the forewing, and with a wingspan of only around 6 mm. The larva mines the leaves of \beech. Flying in two generations, April and May, and later in July and August. Like many of its congeners, this species is more easily identified by the structure of the leaf mine created by the larva. In this case, the foodplant is Beech, and the mine is a sinuous gallery with the frass forming a coil part way through the mine. In contrast to Stigmella tityrella , the mine usually starts near the edge of the leaf and winds towards the centre. Widespread in Britain, but probably under recorded due to its diminutive size. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.hemargyrella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/stigmella/stigmella-hemargyrella/
Wikipedia reference for Stigmella hemargyrella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigmella_hemargyrella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Nepticuloidea
- Family
- Nepticulidae (Pygmy Eye-capped Moths)
- Genus
- Stigmella
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Around Beech.
Seasonal Activity
Flying in two generations, April and May, and later in July and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Like many of its congeners, this species is more easily identified by the structure of the leaf mine created by the larva. In this case, the foodplant is Beech, and the mine is a sinuous gallery with the frass forming a coil part way through the mine. In contrast to
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread in Britain, but probably under recorded due to its diminutive size. 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 Stigmella hemargyrella. 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 Stigmella hemargyrella (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Stigmella hemargyrella
What is Stigmella hemargyrella?
Stigmella hemargyrella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Stigmella hemargyrella found?
Habitat: Around Beech.
When is Stigmella hemargyrella active?
Stigmella hemargyrella: seasonal activity - Flying in two generations, April and May, and later in July and August..
What is the life cycle of a Stigmella hemargyrella?
Like many of its congeners, this species is more easily identified by the structure of the leaf mine created by the larva. In this case, the foodplant is Beech, and the mine is a sinuous gallery with the frass forming a coil part way through the mine. In contrast to