Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella
Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella
Large Midget
Wingspan 9 to 10 mm. This is one of several similar looking species but can be identified with care. The larva mines the leaves of Honeysuckle, Snowberry and Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa) causing a large tentiform mine. The pupa is in a brown cocoon and has a distinctive flat pupal cremaster, with two very short spikes.
Phyllonorycter trifasciella mines can be very similar but have different cocoon and pupa
Photograph the mine and the cocoon or pupa inside
Anywhere that the larval foodplants are found.
The moth is bivoltine, being in flight in May and August.
The larval foodplants are Honeysuckle, Snowberry and occasionally Leycesteria formosa. The underside mines formed are large and cause the leaf to become creased. Mines are found in July and again in September and October.
Although this moth is found widely throughout Britain, it tends to be found locally and is seldom common. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
It appears to be uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland, where there are few records. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020





