Stigmella myrtillella
This record describes Stigmella myrtillella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult Stigmella are very difficult to identify and this species is best recorded as a leafmine on Bilberry (see under Life History). Adult: It may not be possible to identify adult Stigmella even by dissection unless reared from the leafmine. Leafmine: May be identifiable with care please provide good photographs including a backlit image. Please also state the host species (i.e. usually Bilberry). The leafmines may be found in July and during September and October persisting until the leaves fall. Larva mines the leaves of Bilberry creating a contorted gallery leading to small blotch. The larva is amber yellow, head brown. Local in Britain where its distribution is limited by the availability of its foodplant. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.myrtillella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/stigmella/stigmella-myrtillella/
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 Bilberry occurs.
Seasonal Activity
The leafmines may be found in July and during September and October persisting until the leaves fall.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larva mines the leaves of Bilberry creating a contorted gallery leading to small blotch. The larva is amber yellow, head brown.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Local in Britain where its distribution is limited by the availability of its foodplant. 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 myrtillella. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stigmella myrtillella
What is Stigmella myrtillella?
Stigmella myrtillella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Stigmella myrtillella found?
Habitat: Areas where Bilberry occurs.
When is Stigmella myrtillella active?
Stigmella myrtillella: seasonal activity - The leafmines may be found in July and during September and October persisting until the leaves fall..
What is the life cycle of a Stigmella myrtillella?
Larva mines the leaves of Bilberry creating a contorted gallery leading to small blotch. The larva is amber yellow, head brown.