Incurvariidae : Incurvariinae
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Phylloporia bistrigella

(Haworth, 1828) 128 / 8.005
Photo © Terry Box, 31 May 2017,  SE5081 Kilburn, VC62

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Antispila metallella
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Yorkshire Status: Local resident.

This is a moth of birch woodland and scrubby heathland with well-established native birches, usually downy birch rather than silver birch. The tiny adults come to light but the moth is more often encountered as a leaf mine. The initial corridor is long and very narrow, winding through the leaf and often crossing the midrib. This then abruptly widens into an irregular elongated blotch. At the end of the blotch the larva makes an oval excision about 4mm in diameter in which it drops to the ground for pupation. Mines are usually found in the youngest leaves. Do not confuse the mine with that caused by the beetle Orchestes rusci which forms similar cutouts on birch leaves. The mine however is much thicker than the threadlike early mine of bistrigella. One way of finding bistrigella mines is to look for "two-tone" leaves, as the the early mine often winds about and cuts off a segment of leaf which can fade. The only other species that regularly does this is Lyonetia clerkella. Adults are unlikely to be mistaken for any other species, except Antispila species or perhaps male Micropterix aruncella if you were having a bad day.

Sutton & Beaumont, 1989: Widely recorded from all five vice-counties. Porritt (1907) gave its status as common but there are relatively few recent records.

Verification Grade Comment: Confusion possible with beetle mine (Orchestes rusci)

Mine: Either the leaf or a good photograph required

Recorded in 35 (18%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1883.
Last Recorded in 2024.
Additional Stats

< Incurvaria praelatella  |  Lampronia capitella >
Wingspan: c.8 mm
Flight: April - July
Foodplant:   Birch.(prefers downy birch)
Nat Status: Local
Verification Grade:  Adult: 1  Mine: L
List Species Records   [Show All Latest]
Latest 5 Records
Date#VC10k Area
22/10/2024161SE83 - North Cave
05/07/2024365SE09 - Redmire / Grinton
23/06/2024+64SE16 - Pateley Bridge
11/10/2023+64SE26 - Ripley / Summerbridge
30/06/2023+63SD92 - Hebden Bridge / Todmorden
  Immature   Adult   [Show Flight Weeks]
Show Details | 1990 to 2024 | 2000 to 2024 | Graph Key
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