Tentiform Leafminer: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life Cycle

Latin Name: Phyllonorycter Mespilella

Appearance: Phyllonorycter Mespilella is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. The wingspan is 6–8 mm. Adults fly in May and again in August. A fairly uncommon and local species, despite being found over much of England and Wales, as well as in Scotland and Ireland. Adult moths are quite similar to numerous other Phyllonorycter species; thus, identification is difficult unless they are raised from one of the apparent foodplants.

Hosts Plants: Apple, Pear, Cherry, Prune

Territory: Europe and North America

Damage Insect Cause: The larvae make long, thin blister mines on the undersides of the leaves of wild service-tree, as well as other rosaceous plants like pear. There are two broods, with adults appearing in May and August and leaf mines visible in July/August and from October onwards.

Life History and Habits: Despite the fact that the species is trivoltine, only two broods have been seen locally, despite the fact that another brood is quite likely to occur between the two. The larva eats away at the tissue on the underside of the leaf until only the transparent cuticle is left, leaving the upper-side leaf tissue intact. The mine is fashioned like an oval or circular blotch with a diameter of around a mm. Many mines can be stored in a single leaf. The larvae pupate inside the mine, often surrounded by black frass. Before hatching, the pupa pushes itself partly out of the mine, and the empty pupal case remains attached to the mine while the moth flies away.