Stigmella plagicolella
Scrubland Pigmy
Wingspan 4 to 5 mm. They have dark forewings with bronzy and purple sheens and a neat whitish fascia.
Adult 
Leafmine 
Leafmine occurs on Blackthorn. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.plagicolella2.htm
Areas where the larval foodplants are found.
The adults are on the wing from May to June and again in August.
The larvae feed on Prunus, mainly Blackthorn creating a roundish blotch which begins as a narrow gallery. These can be found in July and again in September and October.
A fairly common species throughout England, Wales and Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Graham Calow
Leicester Road, Sapcote
04 October 2017
leafmine on Blackthorn
Graham Calow
Fosse Meadows, Sharnford
18 October 2018
leafmines on Blackthorn
Graham Calow
Near Fallow Close, Broughton Astley
13 October 2017
leafmine on Blackthorn
Peter Smith
Pioneer Park, Leicester
22 August 2018
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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UK Map
Species profile
- Common names
- Scrubland Pigmy
- Species group:
- Moths
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Lepidoptera
- Family:
- Nepticulidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 205
- First record:
- 16/09/2015 (Russell, Adrian)
- Last record:
- 16/09/2024 (Calow, Graham)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
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Latest images
Latest records
Graham Calow
Leicester Road, Sapcote
04 October 2017
leafmine on Blackthorn
Peter Smith
Isley Walton
26 July 2018
Peter Smith
Pioneer Park, Leicester
22 August 2018
Peter Smith
Pioneer Park, Leicester
22 August 2018
Peter Smith
Cropston
01 September 2018
Leaf mine on blackthorn
Peter Smith
Castle Donington
04 October 2018
sue
Glenfield, former Hospital sports field
10 October 2018
sue
Glenfield, former Hospital sports field
10 October 2018
