Stigmella incognitella
This record describes Stigmella incognitella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Many Stigmella species are almost impossible to identify as adults, but are easier to record from the leafmines created by their larvae. The larvae of Stigmella incognitella mine the leaves of Apple. The mines are found between veins. The initial gallery is narrow and then forms an orange-brown blotch. Records of the leafmine should include a backlit image of the mine showing the frass pattern as well as a picture of the leaf. The record should also include a note of the host plant on which the leafmine was found. Status in Britain is difficult to determine due to lack of records, but the records we have suggest this species may be widespread, if local in the southern half of Britain at least. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.incognitella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/stigmella/stigmella-incognitella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Nepticulidae
- Genus
- Stigmella
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Where Apple is found.
Seasonal Activity
Leafmine: June-July, October-November.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Status in Britain is difficult to determine due to lack of records, but the records we have suggest this species may be widespread, if local in the southern half of Britain at least. 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 Stigmella incognitella. 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 incognitella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Stigmella incognitella
What is Stigmella incognitella?
Stigmella incognitella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Stigmella incognitella found?
Habitat: Where Apple is found.
When is Stigmella incognitella active?
Stigmella incognitella: seasonal activity - Leafmine: June-July, October-November..