Gracillariidae

15.040 Ilex Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter messaniella (Zeller, 1846)

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 3.5 to 4.5mm

Habitats: Deciduous woodland, parkland, street trees and gardens.

Habits: The moth comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva mines the leaves of many species of tree including Holm Oak, other oaks, Beech, Roble Beech, Sweet Chestnut, European Hop-hornbeam, Hornbeam and occasionally Paper Birch and limes. On Holm Oak it forms an oval blister mine on the underside of a leaf with the upper surface turning brown. The under surface having a strong fold causes the leaf to fold downwards. On deciduous oaks it forms a smaller blister (up to 14mm) creased underneath with a strong fold above. On Beech and Hornbeam the mine fills the area between two veins. The third instar larva overwinters when Holm Oak is the host. It is unknown how it overwinters in Britain when this foodplant is not present. On the European mainland it overwinters as a pupa on other oaks.