Bucculatrix nigricomella

Bucculatrix nigricomella

Alternative names
Daisy Tuft
Daisy Bent-wing
Description

Wingspan 7 to 8 mm. A small, but fairly distinctive member of the Bucculatrix genus, with its general dark colouration with diffuse paler markings, and noticeable whitish eye-caps.  The larva mines the leaves of Oxeye Daisy, making a long thin meandering gallery.  Later instars leave the gallery and feed freely on the leaf.

Similar Species

Several species of fly make gallery mine Ox-eye Daisy leaves - check for fly maggots/puparia 

Identification difficulty

Adult Leafmine

Recording advice

Backlit photo of mine; note host.

Habitat

Where Oxeye Daisy is present.

When to see it

The adults have two generations, flying in April and May and again in late July and August.

Life History

The larvae mine the leaves of Oxeye Daisy

UK Status

It is widely distributed over much of the British Isles, though absent in some places. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

VC55 Status

It appears to be uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland, where there are few records. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).

Reference
14.002 BF266

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records