Phylloporia bistrigella - Distribution map

Please note that the NBN Gateway map service has been terminated as of 1 April 2017.

As soon as a replacement map service is available, distribution maps will hopefully appear here again.

In the meantime, you can get some idea of distribution from the NBN Atlas website.

View the NBN Atlas Map

8.005 BF128

Phylloporia bistrigella

(Haworth, 1828)


Wingspan c.8 mm

Distributed throughout the British Isles, this tiny species is often overlooked amongst the Nepticulidae, although it is in fact a member of the Incurvariidae. The adults fly in May and June, and can sometimes be found in daylight around birches on heaths. It is also attracted to light.

The larva creates a mine in a birch (Betula) leaf, usually encircling a good part of the leaf, and finishing in a whitish blotch with scattered frass. It then cuts out an oval case from this position and drops to the ground. The leaf area enclosed within the mine becomes paler and vacated mines are quite distinctive. Mines can be found in July and August.

See also:
Leafmine (British Leaf Mining Fauna)
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