Heliozelidae
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Antispila metallella

([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) 158 / 6.001
Photo © Andy Nunn,  North Cave Wetlands VC 61 - mine and larval case on dogwood

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Yorkshire Status: Rare and local resident.

Despite the comments in Sutton and Beaumont that this species is "very locally fairly common" in Yorkshire, this cannot be backed up with records and it seems to be a rare moth with very few records, though it has been recorded in all five vice-counties. Adults are said to fly around their foodplant (dogwood) in the late afternoon sunshine but our records are all of leaf mines. A short corridor close to the margin of the leaf suddenly widens into a large blotch that often overruns the corridor. The larva then makes an oval excision, 5.5-7mm long and drops therein to the ground. A characteristic feature is a number of test punctures of the leaf made by the female in preparation for oviposition - this can be seen as a curving row of 2-7 brown spots perpendicular to the initial corridor.

There are two other Antispila species in Britain which should be considered if you are lucky enough to find a leaf mine. Neither have been recorded in Yorkshire, but could conceivably be overlooked.
1. Antispila petryi. This also mines on dogwood and makes a similar mine, but the oval excision is 4 - 5.5mm along the long axis (5.5 - 7mm in metallella) and tends not to have the test punctures. Mines of this species were formerly thought to be treitschkiella. The old record in Porritt's 1883 list is thought to be unreliable .
2. Antispila treitschkiella. This makes mines on Cornelian cherry Cornus mas and not common dogwood (Cornus sanguineus). The exit slit again is 4 - 5.5mm.

Verification Grade Comment: Measure the size of the exit slit and check the food plant

Mine: Either the leaf or a good photograph required

Recorded in 9 (5%) of 200 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1868.
Last Recorded in 2022.
Additional Stats

< Pseudopostega crepusculella  |  Heliozela sericiella >
Wingspan: 8-9mm
Flight: May
Foodplant:   Dogwood
Nat Status: Local
Verification Grade:  Adult: 2  Mine: L
List Species Records   [Show All Latest]
Latest 5 Records
Date#VC10k Area
15/10/2022+65SE28 - Bedale
20/07/2020563SE60 - Hatfield
11/07/2020261SE83 - North Cave
12/07/2018562SE65 - York (E)
27/07/2012+63SE60 - Hatfield
  Immature   Adult   [Show Flight Weeks]
Show Details | 1990 to 2024 | 2000 to 2024 | Graph Key
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