Check your evergreens

Whilst the winter wind and rain have swept most leaves from the trees and with it any chance of finding leaf miners, it is still worth checking any Evergreen Oak (Quercus ilex) you happen to be passing as there are mines, both vacated and tenanted, still to be found...

Ectoedemia heringella 

This species is known to be expanding its range, so definitely one worth keeping an eye out for, mines can be plentiful, as illustrated below

Stigmella suberivora


Dave

Early stages: Phyllonorycter platani

This is the most numerous species I have recorded this year, all as leaf mines and all in urban situations up and down the country, including Leeds, Norwich and all around Canterbury.



As the mines can be quite numerous on each leaf and tend to be quite large too, they can still be located in fallen leaves or are also still visible on leaves that are still clinging on to the tree.

Alder Phyll fills out the year list

Although late in the year, still managed to add another to the year list last week in the shape of Phyllonorycter strigulatella leaf mines on Grey Alder.



Whilst many leaves had already fallen, those that remained held plenty of mines from this species as well as those of P. rajella, P. kleemannella and P. stettinensis.

 Phyllonorycter strigulatella and P. kleemannella leaf mines Phyllonorycter rajella leaf mine (underside) Phyllonorycter stettinensis leaf mine