Phyllonorycter pastorella (Zeller, 1846)

royal midget

Phyllonorycter pastorella mine

Salix babylonica, Nieuwendam

Phyllonorycter pastorella mine

detail

Phyllonorycter pastorella openend mine

Salix alba, Diemen; openend mine

mine

Large, lower-surface tentiform mine with one sharp fold. Pupa in a flimsy cocoon. Frass in the opposite corner of the mine.

host plants

Salicaceae, oligophagous

Populus alba, nigra; Salix alba, babylonica, x fragilis, lanata, pentandra, purpurea, x salamonii, triandra, viminalis.

Salix, with at least in the Netherlands S. alba and babylonica is the main hostplant by far.

phenology

In the Netherlands larvae are found in October, pupae in September – October.

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2010).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2010).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2010).

distribution within Europe

Europe, excluding Greece, and the Mediterranean islands (Fauna Europaea, 2010). Found in Britain in 2015 (Freed, 2015a).

larva

See Grandi (1931a, 1933a) for a well-illustrated description of the larva.

pupa

synonyms

Lithocolletis pastorella.

notes

In the Netherlands the species seems to be expanding, especially in the suburban environment.

references

Arru (1996a), Beiger (1979a), Bengtsson & Johansson (2011a), Buhr (1937a), Buszko (1992b), Buszko & Beshkov (2004a), Davis & Deschka (2001a), Drăghia (1971a, 1972a, 1974a), Freed (2015a), Grandi (1931a, 1933a), Gregor & Patočka (2001a), Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Huisman & Koster (1998a, 1999a), Huisman, Koster, Muus & van Nieukerken (2013a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ellis (2007a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ulenberg (2005a), Jaworski (2009a), Kirichenko, Triberti, Akulov ao (2019a), Kollár (2007a), Kollár & Hrubík (2009a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Kuznetsov (1990a), Kvičala (1938a), Laasonen, Karvonen, Kyrki & Peltonen (1988a), Maček (1999a), Nel & Varenne (2014a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), De Prins (1998a), De Prins & Steeman (2011a), Schütze (1931a), Sefrová (2005a), Stammer (2016a), Starý (1930a), Szőcs (1977a, 1978a, 1981a), Ureche (2010a), Yefremova & Kravchenko (2015a).