Firethorn Leaf Miner - Phyllonorycter leucographella

Wingspan 7 to 9 mm. Resemble other Phyllonorycter species, with a buff ground colour and whitish chevrons. Often easier to find the leaf mine which can be on Firethorn (Pyracantha) plus a number of other plant species including Hawthorn, Apple, London Plane and Cotoneaster. The mine is usually on the upper side, silvery in appearance and over the midrib

Adult Leafmine if on Firethorn (care if on other species).

Leafmine occurs on Firethorn, Hawthorn and several other species.

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.leucographella.htm

In gardens and other suburban habitats.

Having a number of generations, the adults can be found between April and October.

As a larva, it mines the leaves of rosaceous bushes, but mainly those of Firethorn. It forms a blotch in the centre of a leaf, leaving a thin membrane through which the larva can be seen, being whitish with black blotches.

Now fairly common in parts of England. Discovered in Essex in 1989, this species has spread rapidly northwards through England to parts of north Yorkshire. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Fairly frequent and possibly becoming more common in Leicestershire and Rutland.