Micro-moth Query on Lime (actually Hazel)

[SteveMcBill]

Micro-moth Query on Lime:

Picked up a couple of leaves of Lime (Tilia vulgaris) the other day (29/09/11) from Woolton Woods, Liverpool (SJ42258653) and they had what appeared to be underside Phyllonorycter mines and also a leaf-edge roll where the leaf was rolled upwards onto the top surface and silked down. 2 questions:

1. Does anyone know of any Phyllonorycters mining Lime ??

2. I opened the rolled edge of the leaf and it contained a small larva as shown in the photographs below. I had wondered if this was going to be a larva of Roeslerstammia erxlebella but although the larva has a brown head and a dark green strip down its back and appears to have constrictions between the abdominal segments I am puzzled by the black markings behind the head capsule. I cannot find pictures of this larva showing such markings. Does anyone have any ideas ??

Many thanks.

Steve

[SteveMcBill]

Ah, I think the Phyllonorycters were Phyllonorycter messaniella - this seems to be the only one which will use Lime amongst other trees (Recorded on Betula, Carpinus, Castanea, Fagus, Nothofagus, Quercus, Malus and Prunus in Britain and Carpinus, Castanea, Fagus, Quercus, Prunus and Tilia elsewhere).

I still cannot positively identify the larva though. Any help gratefully received.

Steve

[stevehind]

Hi Steve,

Are you sure the leaf is Lime and not Hazel, as the fold looks like a Parornix fold which would be P.devoniella and your Phyllonorycter mine could be the earlier mine of P.devoniella?

Regards
Steve

[SteveMcBill]

Hi Steve,

Looks down at feet !!! What an embarrassing "Oooops" !!

I had a largish bag of mixed leaves from the site and knew I had taken a leaf from a Lime which had a fold similar to this BUT you are correct - on rechecking the leaves it seems I had been looking at a Hazel leaf and NOT the Lime I had thought - my apologies. I seem to have lost the Lime leaf I picked.

Ref. the Parornix devoniella, which it now seems to be; I am curious as to the status of this moth in Cheshire and surrounding areas - there appears to be no records for this species currently on the rECOrd database. I have been finding leaf-folds on Hazel which I have taken to be this species, at a number of sites over the past few weeks.

Many thanks Steve - VERY much appreciated.

Steve

[stevehind]

Looks as if there is a problem with their database as I've just tried searching for both Parornix devoniella and Large Yellow Underwing and in both cases I'm told that I have an incorrect species name.

P.devoniella is widespread and common throughout Cheshire.

Steve

[SteveMcBill]

Steve,

There does seem to be something wrong, not with the database, but with the data search facility - I have reported the problem. Hopefully it will be easily fixed and quickly.

Ref. the larva in the above photos - I have managed to find a picture of the larva of Parornix devoniella on the Net (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parornix_devoniella) and sure enough - it has the four black markings just behind the head plate.

Once again - many thanks.

Steve