Stigmella viscerella
This record describes Stigmella viscerella (species). Recorded family: Nepticulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 5 to 6 mm. Plain looking bronzy olive forewing, darker towards the apex. The larva mines the leaves of Elm. Stigmella lemniscella mines on Elm can occasionally start with a tight coil, but not with intestine-like loops; they can be mistaken for S viscerella unless examined closely with backlight. When recording leaf-mine, provide a backlit image showing looped gallery The larva mines Elm. The leaf mine may be seen from September and starts as a slender contorted gallery that looks like a tiny blotch, then progresses in a series of very tight 'S' turns. Local throughout much of England, with records north to Durham. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.viscerella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/stigmella/stigmella-viscerella/
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 Elm is present.
Seasonal Activity
Single brooded; May to June.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva mines Elm. The leaf mine may be seen from September and starts as a slender contorted gallery that looks like a tiny blotch, then progresses in a series of very tight 'S' turns.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Local throughout much of England, with records north to Durham. 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 viscerella. 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 viscerella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Stigmella viscerella
What is Stigmella viscerella?
Stigmella viscerella is a species in the family Nepticulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Stigmella viscerella found?
Habitat: Areas where Elm is present.
When is Stigmella viscerella active?
Stigmella viscerella: seasonal activity - Single brooded; May to June..
What is the life cycle of a Stigmella viscerella?
The larva mines Elm. The leaf mine may be seen from September and starts as a slender contorted gallery that looks like a tiny blotch, then progresses in a series of very tight 'S' turns.