Ectoedemia Mines on Oak

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stevehind
Posts: 2908
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:44 am
Location: Higher Poynton, Cheshire

Ectoedemia Mines on Oak

Post by stevehind »

Ectoedemia Mines on Oak:

I went up to Errwood, in the Goyt Valley on Monday (5th October 2012) to look for Ectoedemia subbimaculella mines, a species commonly found on the Cheshire Plain at this time of year but so far not from the Eastern hills. I eventually found a couple of mines, although these were the only ones. Whilst searching the oaks, I noticed a much commoner, yet still scarce, Ectoedemia, which I assumed would be albifasciella, although most were fresh and still tenanted. I wondered if some could be Ectoedemia heringi , so brought home three of the most obvious looking specimens, which turned out to be the first records of heringi mines for VC Cheshire.

The only previous county record of Ectoedemia heringi, was of an adult caught at MVL by Bill Hardwick at Brereton Heath on 28th June 1986, which was determined by Maitland Emmet. I have looked for the mines of this species in the past, although I was probably too early in the season.

Having found Ectoedemia subbimaculella mines on Monday, I went back up into the hills today but lower down the valley, to try my luck in the hectad to the North, SK08, ending up at Whaley Bridge. I found a small patch of woodland just south of Toddbrook Reservoir which contained a few oaks. Ectoedemia subbimaculella was far more common here, as was heringi and it wasn’t until I climbed out of the woodland that I found my first three definite albifasciella mines, one of which was still tenanted.

Many mines were easily found by looking for patches of green on the now brown leaves. The larvae of these late feeding species are able to prevent parts of the leaf from changing colour and these ‘green islands’ are distinctive, especially amongst fallen leaves on the ground.

I also managed to find tenanted mines of Ectoedemia intimella on fallen leaves of Goat Willow Salix caprea, which were also new at both sites.

Regards,
Steve

Attachments
Ectoedemia heringi larva in 'green island' on oak
Ectoedemia heringi larva in 'green island' on oak
Ectoedemia heringi feeding in 'green island'
Ectoedemia heringi feeding in 'green island'
Ectoedemia heringi tenanted mine
Ectoedemia heringi tenanted mine
SteveH
Posts: 2072
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:50 am
Location: Elton, Cheshire

Re: Ectoedemia mines on oak

Post by SteveH »

Hi Steve,

Congratulations on your finds!

On my own patch I've yet to find subimaculella this year, despite it being 'everywhere' 12 months ago. The same is true of 'green islands' ..... still waiting for the first one! I did manage one Ectoedemia however, in the shape of septembrella mines.

Cheers,
Steve

stevehind
Posts: 2908
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:44 am
Location: Higher Poynton, Cheshire

Re: Ectoedemia Mines on Oak

Post by stevehind »

45 minutes checking the oaks on a small section of the Middlewood Way behind the house this morning produced Ectoedemia subbimaculella 105, mainly tenanted mines, Ectoedemia albifasciella 18, all vacated mines, Ectoedemia heringi, nil, so will have to check other local sites to see if heringi is in Higher Poynton.

Regards,
Steve

SteveH
Posts: 2072
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:50 am
Location: Elton, Cheshire

Re: Ectoedemia Mines on Oak

Post by SteveH »

I spent a long time looking at Oaks to-day (Saturday 10th November 2012) ...... though I don't have 'woods' to browse through. A number of trees were sporting 'green islands', which were the first I'd seen all Autumn. As Steve Hind reported, the majority (hundreds) were Ectoedemia subimaculella, with approximately 25% tenanted, 75% not. There were also numbers of Ectoedemia albifasciella, all vacated, as well as a single of mine Type A below and a number of Type B, all tenanted. All were on Oak and all in green islands. I'm not certain if Type A is E. heringi or not - it looks to have a dark enough head. As to the Type B, might it be E. quinquella? The gut-line looks a bit reddish to me but I have found some photos of the species showing similarly coloured lines .......

Cheers,
Steve

Attachments
Type B mine on Oak 4473 10112012
Type B mine on Oak 4473 10112012
Type A mine on Oak 4272 10112012
Type A mine on Oak 4272 10112012
stevehind
Posts: 2908
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:44 am
Location: Higher Poynton, Cheshire

Re: Ectoedemia Mines on Oak

Post by stevehind »

Hi Steve.

I reckon your Type A mine is Ectoedemia subbimaculella, which has a black head, whereas the head of heringi is described as red-brown and noticeably paler. Type B is a Stigmella, possibly atricapitella, although I find this oak feeding group difficult to determine. Ectoedemia quinquella has yet to be found in VC58 Cheshire, although during the past week I have seen some early instar larvae with black ventral spots, so maybe it is here, in which case it’s something else to look out for. There is a dot marked for SJ69 in VC59 South Lancs on the Leafmines website map, yet not on the Lancs Matrix, so I’m guessing the record is still pending or unconfirmed.

I went to Crowden in Longdendale on Saturday and managed to find a few tenanted mines of subbimaculella and heringi, as well as vacated mines of albifasciella, all three of which were new hectad records. Another look around Higher Poynton on Sunday produced several, mainly tenanted, subbimaculella, a few vacated albifasciella, as well as a few probable heringi, although all were vacated. I would prefer to find tenanted mines in new areas, to be sure, so I reckon I’ll have to wait until next year now as the larvae feed earlier at lower altitudes. You mentioned that most of your subbimaculella were vacated at your site in the lowlands, whereas most of mine were still tenanted here in the foothills and probably just starting higher still at Crowden, so as this looks to be the main feeding period for heringi in the hills and I’m probably too late here in the foothills, I reckon you’ve little chance of finding any still tenanted on the Plain.

Regards,
Steve

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