Stigmella salicis

Wingspan 4 to 6 mm. The adults have dark forewings with a purplish sheen and an irregular yellowish fascia. The cilia are noticeably pale and the head is orange.

Adult Leafmine

Leafmine occurs on coarse leaved willows such as Goat Willow and Grey Willow. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.salicis.htm

Areas containing rough-leaved willows.

On the wing in April and May and again in July and August.

Larvae feed on willow (Salix spp.), preferring the rough-leaved species. The larval mine is usually broad and short, often doubling back and creating a 'false blotch'. The frass is broken linear. The mines can be found in June and July and from September into November.

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant).