Phyllonorycter distentella (Zeller, 1846)

scarce midget

mine

Lower-surface tentiform mine; lower epidermis with a numerous extremely fine folds. The mine is exceptionally large, 25 mm on average, and extends from midrib to leaf margin. The roof of the mine is largely eaten out but generally a green centre is left over. Often several mines in a leaf. The mine causes the leaf to contract strongly. The pupa hangs in the mine, suspended by a loose net of silk. Frass heaped in a corner of the mine.

host plants

Fagaceae, monophagous

Quercus pubescens, robur.

phenology

Larvae in July and September – October (Hering, 1957a). Only one generation in Britain, with larvae in July – August; whether they hibernate as larva or pupa is not known (Emmet, 1986d).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

NE not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Germany to Portugal, Italy, and Hungary, and from Britain to South Russia (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

pupa

See Gregor & Patočka (200a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a). The pupa strongly resembles the one of Ph. harrisella.

notes

Everywhere a rare species.

synonyms

Many authors consider Ph. mannii (Zeller, 1846) a synonym of distentella. Ph. mannii has the same range of hostplants as distentella (Global taxonomic database of Gracillariidae, 2009). For practical reasons also here mannii is set aside as a synonym.

references

Buhr (1936a), Buszko (1992b,c), Deschka (1970c, 2014a), Emmet (1975b, 1986d, 1994a), Emmet, Watkinson & Wilson (1985), ffennell (1975a), Gregor (1952a), Gregor & Patočka (2001a), Harper & Langmaid (1978a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1934a, 1957a), Kasy (1987a), Maček (1999a), Nel & Varenne (2014a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Steuer (2002a), Szőcs (1977a, 1988a), Tomov & Dimitrov (2007a).