Species Details

ABH: 15.053

BF: 332a

Family: Gracillariidae

Subfamily: Lithocolletinae

Taxon: Phyllonorycter leucographella

Authority: (Zeller, 1850)

Vernacular: Firethorn Leaf-miner

Account: Common in gardens, woodland and parkland throughout much of Britain. Thoroughly naturalised, through accidental introduction in garden plants, the first British record of this adventive species was in Essex in 1989, since when it has spread rapidly northwards to Yorkshire. It was first discovered in Hampshire in early 1998, but probably under-recorded in the county and on the Isle of Wight, where the extent of known records correlate with those areas in which the recording effort is concentrated. Wingspan 6.5-8.5 mm. Imago fairly regular at light, but just as likely to be recorded in the larval stage, when mines are relatively easy to find where they are present. Larva mines leaves of Firethorn, Hawthorn, Apple, Rowan and Whitebeam.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 6.5 — 8.5 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 22 May (2008) — 6 Nov (2005)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Pyracantha sp.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Common

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/phyllonorycter-leucographella/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 54

Individuals: 4

Earliest Year: 2004

Latest Year: 2024

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