Caloptilia cuculipennella

Wingspan c.12 mm. The posterior tibiae are smooth above. Forewings are whitish, with numerous ochreous or brown strigulae finely irrorated with black ; an oblique fascia near base hardly reaching costa, a second before middle hardly reaching dorsum, a third beyond middle interrupted in disc, and a costal spot at 3/4 ochreous or brownish, finely spotted with black. Hindwings are dark grey.

Confirmation of this species requires dissection. 

Adult July-September. 

The larvae initially create a mine on either Privet or Ash, and then form two successive cones by rolling a leaf.

Although having a fairly wide distribution over much of the British Isles, this is a scarce species, and not often encountered. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce A.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland, but a number of VC55 records in 2021 suggest that the species may be increasing in our area..

https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/gracillariinae/caloptilia/caloptilia-cuculipennella/