Gracillariidae

15.067 Common Alder Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter rajella (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 3.5 to 4.5mm

Habitats: Marshes and river-banks.

Habits: The moth comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva forms a brownish triangular mine with an obvious central crease on the underside of a leaf of Alder, Italian Alder or other alders. It is usually between two veins and near the midrib. The mine is oval when it is further from the midrib. There may be many mines in a leaf. It pupates in a cocoon of silk and frass.