Gracillariidae

15.071 Vetch Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter nigrescentella (Logan, 1851)

pRDB3

Similar species:

Forewing: 3.5 to 4.5mm

Habitats: Deciduous woodland, river-banks, ditches, woodland rides, clearings and margins.

Habits:

Foodplant: The larva forms an underside mine covering most of a leaf of Bush Vetch or occasionally Meadow Vetchling, Common Vetch, Bitter-vetch or White Clover or possibly Black Medick. The leaf margins curve downwards due to the contraction of the mine. The upper surface takes on a whitish appearance. It prefers to mine plants down in the shelter of the grass where many leaves may be tenanted. The full-fed larva occasionally hibernates or it overwinters as a pupa.