Hawthorn Leaf Mines

[bobhelencoan]

Hawthorn Leaf Mines:

We think we can now recognise several Hawthorn leaf mines. Parornix anglicella, Phyllonorycter oxycanthae, Lyonetia clerkella and Leocoptra malifoliella. We would appreciate help to confirm and ID the following, all collected 20th August 2017.

a. Mine starts in leaf stem Stigmella oxycanthella ?
b. Gallery mine Stigmella hyberella ?
c. Blotch mine on tip of leaf.
d. Small mine in the leaflets, often the first mines to appear in the year.
e. Gallery mine in which the frass changes from filling the mine to a thinner deposit before the final chamber.
f. and g. Further gallery mines.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Bob & Helen

[stevehind]

a. Probably Stigmella crataegella although I can't rule out Stigmella perpygmaeella. Not seen any Stigmella oxyacanthella yet this year, although they may appear earlier over your way. Look out for tenanted mines in the next few weeks, as the green larva is obvious. They are often common and the gallery is longer than the other two species.
b. Stigmella hyberella.
c. Not sure, maybe the mine of Parornix anglicella before it makes the cone.
d. Stigmella hyberella - always the first Hawthorn mines to appear.
e. Fairly sure this is Stigmella crataegella.
f. This looks big enough for Stigmella oxyacanthella, so maybe it is mining already over your way.
g. Probably Stigmella crataegella, although I would want to see a few other nearby mines to rule out Stigmella oxyacanthella, in case this is mining now.

With the Stigmella perpygmaeella/crataegella/oxyacanthella group, I try to find a number of mines on nearby leaves to work out which species they are. The latter species can be ignored earlier in the year and finding tenanted mines is the best way of confirming this group.

Found Ectoedemia atricollis yesterday, so another Hawthorn feeder to look out for now.

Regards,
Steve

[bobhelencoan]

Many thanks Steve for going through the mine photos for us. WE have noted all your comments. We are sure you probably told us all that last year when we met. We are trying had to work on each tree species in turn and learn what to look for and when.

Collected about 30 gallery mines from the Hawthorn hedge along the road yesterday. None were tenanted !
We will continue the search.

Thanks again.
Bob & Helen

[SteveH]

Hi Folks,

Thanks to Bob & Helen & Steve HH for the detailed replies to all their leaf mine queries. Despite my having been leaf mining for a good few years now its still exactly the kind of memory jogging I find extremely useful. The timing is of course perfect as we are in the middle of the mining season so in practical terms its out tomorrow with all the useful pointers in hand.

Thanks again.

Cheers,
Steve

P.S.: Red Underwing actually in the trap last night, which in itself is a rare event as they invariably perch up on the walls. Being the third of the year it equaled our best year ever total. On the flip side, in terms of species trapped in August, 2017 was the worst year since 1999. The paltry 97 species was almost 100 shy of the 2015 mark yet the month still contributed almost 30 new for the year.