Species Details

ABH: 15.043

BF: 323

Family: Gracillariidae

Subfamily: Lithocolletinae

Taxon: Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae

Authority: (Frey, 1856)

Vernacular: Common Thorn Leaf-miner

Account: Common in hedgerows and woodland throughout much of the British Isles. This species, P. sorbi and P. mespilella cannot be separated on the basis of wing characteristics alone, however, P. sorbi, is generally larger and most specimens of P. mespilella lack the white patch on the dorsum beneath the basal streak (MBGBI Vol 2). Imago fairly regular at light, but more frequently recorded in the larval stage, when mines are relatively easy to find where they are present. Larva mines leaves of Hawthorn, Pear and Quince, over-wintering as a pupa in a cocoon.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 6 — 8 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 23 Jun (2011) — 26 Oct (2004)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Crataegus sp., Cydonia sp., Pyrus sp.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Common

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 4 — ️‼️Dissection required️‼️
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/phyllonorycter-oxyacanthae/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 262

Individuals: 16

Earliest Year: 1997

Latest Year: 2024

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