Leucoptera spartifoliella

Alternative names
Broom Stem-miner
Broom Bent-wing
Description

Wingspan 7 to 9 mm. A tiny, whitish moth with brown and silvery markings near the tip of the tail.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Where Broom, the larval foodplant, is present.

When to see it

The adults fly during June and July.

Life History

The larvae feed under the bark of twigs of broom (Cytisus scoparius). The mines are very hard to detect, but in late spring, the small white pupal cocoons are easy to spot among the dark stems.

UK Status

In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

VC55 Status

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

Reference
21.005 BF256

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Broom Bent-wing
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Lyonetiidae
Records on NatureSpot:
2
First record:
09/07/2003 (Skevington, Mark)
Last record:
29/12/2018 (Timms, Sue)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

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