Stigmella luteella
This record describes Stigmella luteella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 4 to 5 mm. The adult moth is narrow-winged with a purplish-bronzy sheen. There is a whitish fascia which narrows towards the costa, outside which the purple colour is darker. The larva mines the leaves of Birch; the gallery has a contorted start and a thick line of linear frass. When recording the mine, provide backlit photographs and note the host This species has an extended generation with adults flying from May to July and larval mines being found between August and November. The larval foodplant is Birch (Betula sp). The larva forms a gallery mine, initially highly contorted, sides of mine scalloped, scallops are usually free of frass. The larva is pale yellow, gut-line green. Widespread and fairly frequent in mainland Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.luteella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/stigmella/stigmella-luteella/
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 Birch is present.
Seasonal Activity
This species has an extended generation with adults flying from May to July and larval mines being found between August and November.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplant is Birch (Betula sp). The larva forms a gallery mine, initially highly contorted, sides of mine scalloped, scallops are usually free of frass. The larva is pale yellow, gut-line green.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread and fairly frequent in mainland Britain. 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 luteella. 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 luteella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Stigmella luteella
What is Stigmella luteella?
Stigmella luteella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Stigmella luteella found?
Habitat: Where Birch is present.
When is Stigmella luteella active?
Stigmella luteella: seasonal activity - This species has an extended generation with adults flying from May to July and larval mines being found between August and November..
What is the life cycle of a Stigmella luteella?
The larval foodplant is Birch (Betula sp). The larva forms a gallery mine, initially highly contorted, sides of mine scalloped, scallops are usually free of frass. The larva is pale yellow, gut-line green.