Phyllonorycter messaniella

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

The European oak leaf-miner or Zeller's Midget (Phyllonorycter messaniella) is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is found in Europe south of the line running from Ireland, through Great Britain, Denmark to Ukraine. It is also found in Macaronesia. It is an introduced species in New Zealand and Australia.[2]

Mined leaf of evergreen oak
Larva

The wingspan is 7–9 mm. Adults are on wing from April to November in a number of generations.[3]

The larvae feed on Carpinus betulus, Castanea sativa, Fagus sylvatica, Prunus, Quercus ilex, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Quercus suber, Quercus x turneri and Tilia species. They mine the leaves of their host plant. They create a small, oval, lower-surface tentiform mine which is mostly located between two lateral veins. The lower epidermis has a single sharp fold, which is sometimes forked near the end. The pupa is made in flimsy cocoon, that contains some frass.[4]

References