15.042 BF322

Phyllonorycter muelleriella

(Zeller, 1839)

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Wingspan c. 8mm.

A species of ancient oak woodland, distributed mainly in the south Midlands and Welsh borders, into northern England and parts of Scotland.

It is quite a strongly-marked species, with distinct darker-edged white strigulae against a golden-brown ground colour.

Feeding on oak (Quercus), the larvae create long mines on the underside of the leaves, generally close to the midrib. There can be several mines to a leaf, causing the leaf to pucker strongly.

There are two generations, with mines visible in July and again in September to October, and adult moths on the wing in May and August.