8.005 BF128

Phylloporia bistrigella

(Haworth, 1828)

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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)