Stigmella lemniscella
This record describes Stigmella lemniscella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 5 to 6 mm. The adult moths have a silvery fascia and a bronzy tinge to the inner part of the wing. The larva mines the leaves of Elm with the exit slit on upper surface. Areas where the larval foodplant occurs. There are two generations, with adults in May and August. The larval stage mines the leaves of Elm (Ulmus) including Wych Elm (U. glabra). It forms a narrow gallery almost filled with frass, often following the leaf margin. The mines occur from late June to July and September to October. Distributed throughout the British Isles, although becoming scarcer further north. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.lemniscella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/stigmella/stigmella-lemniscella/
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
Areas where the larval foodplant occurs.
Seasonal Activity
There are two generations, with adults in May and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval stage mines the leaves of Elm (Ulmus) including Wych Elm (U. glabra). It forms a narrow gallery almost filled with frass, often following the leaf margin. The mines occur from late June to July and September to October.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed throughout the British Isles, although becoming scarcer further north. 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 lemniscella. 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 lemniscella (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Stigmella lemniscella
What is Stigmella lemniscella?
Stigmella lemniscella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Stigmella lemniscella found?
Habitat: Areas where the larval foodplant occurs.
When is Stigmella lemniscella active?
Stigmella lemniscella: seasonal activity - There are two generations, with adults in May and August..
What is the life cycle of a Stigmella lemniscella?
The larval stage mines the leaves of Elm (Ulmus) including Wych Elm (U. glabra). It forms a narrow gallery almost filled with frass, often following the leaf margin. The mines occur from late June to July and September to October.