A Biodiversity Information System for Cheshire, Halton, Warrington & Wirral

During the past couple of weeks I’ve found the larval mines of Phyllocnistis saligna at three sites in mid-Cheshire; by the River Weaver, Whitegate; in a hedgerow along a minor road at Haslington and on both sides of the Trent & Mersey Canal near Middlewich.

In all cases the mines have been towards the tips of the branches in this year’s growth. The silvery epidermal mines are fairly obvious both in the leaves and young bark and as the mines are in both the leaves and branches, those in the branches should be visible even after leaf fall.

I have checked crack willows at a couple of local sites here in Poynton as well as yesterday at Hale, Altrincham without success, so they may not have spread to these areas yet.

If you have any crack willows growing nearby, do have a look to see if they contain any mines, so that we can plot the species spread though the county.

Regards
Steve