Phyllonorycter spinicolella

Phyllonorycter spinicolella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Infraorder:	Heteroneura
Family:	Gracillariidae
Genus:	Phyllonorycter
Species:	P. spinicolella
Binomial name
	Phyllonorycter spinicolella; (Zeller, 1846)[1]
Synonyms
	Lithocolletis spinicolella Zeller, 1846;

Phyllonorycter spinicolella, also known as the sloe midget, is a moth of the family Gracillariidae, first described by the German entomologist Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1846. It is probably present in all of Europe.

The wingspan is 6–8 mm.The posterior tarsi are whitish. Forewings are golden-ochreous; a white median streak from base to near middle, dark-margined above; dorsum narrowly white towards base ; four costal and three dorsal shining white anteriorly dark-margined wedge-shaped spots, first dorsal sometimes connected with basal streak ; a blackish elongate apical dot. Hindwings are light grey.The larva is green- whitish ; dorsal line dark green ; head pale greenish.[2]

Adults are on wing in May and again in August in two generations per year.[3]

The larvae feed on cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera), European plum (Prunus domestica), bird cherry (Prunus padus) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). They mine the leaves of their host plant creating a lower-surface, strongly inflated tentifom mine between to side veins. The lower epidermis is folded. Pupation takes place in a white cocoon and the frass is deposited in a corner of the mine.[4]

References

"Phyllonorycter spinicolella (Zeller, 1846)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
Kimber, Ian. "Phyllonorycter spinicolella". UKmoths. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
Ellis, W N. "Phyllonorycter spinicolella Sloe Midget". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 13 November 2018.

Mined sloe leaf

Larva

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[1] "Phyllonorycter spinicolella (Zeller, 1846)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 2 October 2019.

[2] Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description

[3] Kimber, Ian. "Phyllonorycter spinicolella". UKmoths. Retrieved 13 November 2018.

[4] Ellis, W N. "Phyllonorycter spinicolella Sloe Midget". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 13 November 2018.