Gracillariidae

15.020 Imperial Stilt Dialectica imperialella (Zeller, 1847)

pRDB1

Similar species:

Forewing: 3.5 to 4mm

Habitats: Deciduous woodland, fens and marshes.

Habits:

Foodplant: Several larvae mine spiral galleries on the underside of a Common Comfrey or Lungwort leaf which are developed into a blotch. In the last instar the larvae eat through to the upperside turning the blotch from brown-green to red. The lack of spinning means the blotch remains flat. It occasionally pupates in the mine, but this is usually done in the leaf litter.