|
| Insects of Britain and Ireland: the families of Lepidoptera |
Excluding Hieroxestidae = Oinophilidae, Opogonidae. Including Bucculatricidae
Adults relatively long-bodied; relatively slender-bodied (wingspan more than 15 times the thoracic width) to medium built (wingspan more than 8 and less than 15 times the thoracic width); wings in repose packed with the forewings directed backwards to cover hindwings and abdomen.
Head rough (at least on the crown). Antennae long to very long; extending to about 0.8–1 times the length of the forewing. Antennae of males simple; non-ciliate. The antennal scape expanded laterally and concave beneath, forming an ‘eye cap’ (usually), or not forming an ‘eye cap’. Ocelli absent. Chaetosemata absent. Maxillary palps much reduced; 1–3 segmented (? - ‘rudimentary’); not folded. Labial palps well developed, or short or rudimentary; drooping, or porrect; 3 segmented. Proboscis fully developed, or absent (‘usually short’); not scaly.
Wingspan (6–)7–10(–12) mm; 10–16 times the thoracic width. Forewings with their apices conspicuously bent up or down when the insect is at rest; narrow; about 3.6–5.7 times as long as wide. Tornus weakly defined to undetectable. Forewings predominantly shining-metallic (e.g., metallic-grey), or exhibiting shining-metallic markings, or neither shining-metallic nor with shining metallic markings. Hindwings narrow-elongate and very long-fringed to neither unusually narrow-elongate nor especially long-fringed; linear to lanceolate; very much narrower than the forewings to quite markedly narrower than the forewings; with a pointed apex. The fringe of the hindwings (1–)3–9 times the width of the membrane. The upper surfaces plain; with neither discal spot nor transverse lines; hindwings with a frenulum.
Neuration of forewings and hindwings dissimilar. Forewings with well developed neuration; 7–10 veined; with 1 anal vein, or with 2 anal veins. The anal veins of the forewings representing 1b only (1c then vestigial), or comprising 1b and 1c. Forewings exhibiting a tubular vein 1c, or lacking a tubular vein 1c. Vein 1b of the forewings simple. Forewings with a discal cell. The transverse vein complete, or incomplete. Discal cell of the forewings without a tubular media (M) vein (likewise the hind-wings). Hindwings with greatly reduced neuration; 3–6 veined; seemingly lacking anal veins; lacking vein 1a; seemingly lacking a tubular vein 1c; without a discal cell. The transverse vein lacking. Veins 3, 4 and 6 may be lacking.
Fore-legs with a tibial epiphysis. Tibiae of middle legs 2-spurred. Posterior tibiae 4-spurred; hairy (with long hairs above and below).
Eggs, larvae and pupae. Eggs smooth or minutely pitted (?). Larval prolegs 10. Larvae concealed feeders; leaf-mining (at least when young). Mining leaves of divers Dicot trees, shrubs and herbs.
Pupae concealed (in a cocoon); on the surface of the ground, or above the ground. Empty pupae protruded from place of concealment.
British representation. Genera 5 (Bedellia, Bucculatrix, Leucoptera, Lyonetia, Paraleucoptera); 23 species (1 adventive). Leucoptera labernella (Laburnum Leaf Miner), Leucoptera malifoliella (Pear Leaf Blister Moth), Lyonetia clerkella (Apple Leaf Miner), etc.
Classification. Microlepidoptera. Suborder Ditrysia. Superfamily Yponomeutoidea (recently re-assigned).
Illustrations. • Leucoptera laburnella (specimen): photo. LYONETIIDAE. Leucoptera laburnella. 10/8/55, Trentham, Staffs. R.G. Warren. • Stainton's representative 'Tineina'. Stainton's TINEINA (Lyonetiidae italicised). 2, Ochsenheimeria birdella; 3, Tinea ganomella; 4, Eriocrania salopiella; 5, Nemophora metallica; 6, Swammerdamia pyrella; 7, Yponomeuta sedella; 8, Plutella xylostella; 9, Ypsolopha dentella; 10, Agonopterix alstroemeriana; 11, Pexicopia malvella; 12, Chrysoesthia drurella; 13, Ypsolopha parenthesella; 14, Schiffermuelleria grandis; 15, Scythris grandipennis; 16, Glyphipteryx equitella; 17, Heliozela resplendella; 18, Argyresthia bonnetella; 19, Caloptilia alchimiella; 20, Coleophora lineola; 21, Bedellia somnulentella; 22, Cosmopteryx lienigiella; 23, Mompha propinquella; 24, Elachista gangabella; 25, Elachista maculicerusella; 26, Emmetia marginea; 27, Phyllonorycter acerifoliella; 28, Phyllonorycter stettinensis; 29, Leucoptera malifoliella; 30, Ectoedemia sericopeza. From Stainton (1854, Plate IX). • Lyonetia clerkella (Autumnal Argyromiges: B. Ent. 284). • Lyonetia clerkella: B. Ent. 284, legend+text. • Lyonetia clerkella: B. Ent. 284, text cont.. • Bucculatrix nigricomella (mainland-European), B. aurimaculella (British form of B. nigricomella), B. cidarella: Stainton 7, I (1862). LYONETIIDAE (BUCCULATRICIDAE). 1, Bucculatrix nigricomella: externally feeding larva (1a), and plant of Chrysanthemum leucanthemum with mined leaves (1b). 2, Bucculatrix nigricomella: externally feeding larva (2a), and gnawed leaf of Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (2b). 3, Bucculatrix cidarella: externally feeding larva (3a), and alder leaf mined and gnawed (3b). Stainton 7, I (1862). • Stainton 7, I (1862): original legend.. • Bucculatrix ulmella, B. bechsteinella (as crataegi), B. demaryella: Stainton 7, II (1862). LYONETIIDAE (BUCCULATRICIDAE). 1, Bucculatrix ulmella: externally feeding larva (1a), and oak leaf mined and gnawed (1b). 2, Bucculatrix bechsteinella: mining larva (2a); externally feeding larva (2a*); hawthorn leaf, mined and with a cocoonet under which the larva moults (2b); gnawed hawthorn leaf (2b*); and cocoon (2c). 3, Bucculatrix demaryella: externally feeding larva (3a); mined and gnawed birch leaf (3b). Stainton 7, II (1862). • Stainton 7, II (1862): original legend.. • Bucculatrix maritima, B. gnaphaliella (mainland-European), B. ratisbonensis (mainland-European): Stainton 7, III (1862). LYONETIIDAE (BUCCULATRICIDAE). 1, Bucculatrix maritima: externally feeding larva (1a), and mined leaf of Aster tripolium (1b). 2, Bucculatrix gnaphaliella: larva (2a), and leaf of Gnaphalium arenarium with mine and cocoon (2b). 3, Bucculatrix ratisbonensis: larva (3a); and piece of gnawed Artemisia campestris leaf, with cocoon at the right (3b). Stainton 7, III (1862). • Stainton 7, III (1862): original legend.. • Bucculatrix frangulella, B. thoracella (as hippocastanella), B. cristatella: Stainton 7, IV (1862). LYONETIIDAE (BUCCULATRICIDAE). 1, Bucculatrix frangulella: externally feeding larva (1a), a mined and gnawed leaf of Rhamnus frangula (1b), and cocoon (1c). 2, Bucculatrix thoracella: externally feeding larva (2a), and mined an gnawed lime leaf (2b). 3, Bucculatrix cristatella: larva (3a), and a gnawed yarrow leaf with the cocoon near its tip (3b). Stainton 7, IV (1862). • Stainton 7, IV (1862): original legend.. • Leucoptera, Bucculatrix. • Larvae of 'Tineina' (Stainton). 1, OECOPHORIDAE: Diurnea fagella larva, and (1a) shown between united birch leaves. 2, PSYCHIDIDAE: Taleporia(?) larva, showing cases attached to lichen (2a), and a single case enlarged. 3, YPONOMEUTIDAE: Ochsenheimeria taurella, and (3a) a section of grass stem showing the larva in situ. 4, TINEIDAE: Tineola bisselliella, with a gallery formed in feathers (4a); 4b, a case of Tinea pellionella on a feather. 5, INCURVARIIDAE: Incurvaria praelatella, with a partially devoured wild strawberry leaf (5a), and a case from the underside. 6, Incurvaria pectinea, and (6a) the larva in its case feeding on a fallen oak leaf. 7, Lampronia capitella, with (7a) a currant shoot withering from the effects of the larva feeding in the stem. 8, YPONOMEUTIDAE: Swammerdamia pyrella, with (8a) the larva in its web between united cherry leaves. 9, Yponomeutidae-Plutellinae: Plutella porrectella, and (9a) feeding on a Hesperis leaf. 10, GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE: Orthotelia sparganella, with (10a) an eaten stem of Sparganium. 11. OECOPHORIDAE: Depressaria sp., with (11a) a leaf of Centaurea nigra distorted by its attentions. 12, GELECHIIDAE: Anacampsis temerella, with (12a) a sallow leaf tenanted by it. 13, Metzneria aestivella, with (13a) a sectioned fruiting head of Carlina showing the feeding larva in situ. 14, OECOPHORIDAE: Crassa unitella, and (14a) a piece of decayed wood burrowed by the larvae. 15, GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE: Glyphipteryx equitella, with (15a) shoots of Sedum acre showing the middle one bleached by excavations of the larva. 16, YPONOMEUTIDAE: Argyresthia bonnetella, with (16a) hawthorn shoots eaten by the larva. 17, GRACILLARIIDAE: Caloptilia alchimiella, with (17a) an oak lead exhibiting a cone formed by the larva. 18, OECOPHORIDAE: Agonopterix angelicella, with (18a) its cone on a hawthorn leaf. 19, COLEOPHORIDAE: Coleophora follicularis, with (19a) a mined leaf of Eupatorium, and (19b) the case enlarged. 20, LYONETIIDAE: Bedellia somnulentella, with (20a) a mined Convolvulus arvensis leaf. 21, EPERMENIIDAE: Epermenia chaerophyllellus, with (21a) a portion of Anthriscus sylvestris leaf eaten half through by it. 22, MOMPHIDAE: Chrysoclista linneella, with (22a) a piece of inner bark of lime burrowed by it. 23, ELACHISTIDAE: Elachista maculicerusella. with (23a) a mined Phragmites leaf blade. 24, TISCHERIIDAE: Emmetia marginea, and (24a) a mined bramble leaf. 25, GRACILLARIIDAE: Phyllonorycter quinnata, with (25a) a mined Carpinus leaf. 26, LYONETIIDAE: Leucoptera laburnella, with (26a) a mined Laburnum leaf. 27, Bucculatrix bechsteinella (Bucculatricidae), and a hawthorn leaf eaten half through. 28, NEPTICULIDAE: Nepticula sp., with (28a) a mined Potentilla leaf. From Stainton (1854, Plate X). • Leucoptera, Bucculatrix: neuration.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. Insects of Britain and Ireland: the families of Lepidoptera. Version: 14th April 2022. delta-intkey.com’.
