Stigmella microtheriella
Alt Name
Nut-tree Pigmy
Description
Wingspan 3 to 4 mm. The adults have purplish-bronzy wings with a silvery fascia, and darker purple outside the fascia. They closely resemble several other family members.
Habitat
Areas where hazel is present.
When to see it
They fly in May and again during August.
Life History
The larvae create narrow, often angular mines in the leaves of hazel and less commonly, hornbeam. Sometimes there can be several larvae mining the same leaf. The mines can be found in July and in October and November.
UK Status
Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
VC55 Status
Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant).
Reference
4.010 BF111
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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