45.019 BF1506 - Pterophoridae - Pterophorinae - Stenoptilia millieridactyla - TEST

45.019 BF1506 - Pterophoridae - Pterophorinae - Stenoptilia millieridactyla - Saxifrage Plume

Verification Grading/s: Adult Micro: CAT 2 [Confusion Species]

- Rare / Uncommon / Scarce - Migrant - Red-listed - Leaf Miner

ID Difficulty: green

- easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.

ID pointers: Forewing is brown becoming reddish or orangney brown towards the dorsum. with a dark fused double spot at the base of the cleft. Forewing cleft into lobes from just beyond two thirds. A longitudinal spot in the dorsal half of the costal lobe and a small dark spot just beyond one-third.

Distribution: A very localised species in Derbyshire, as it is eleswhere in Britian. It was introduced in the late 1960's and is spreading. Garden records may originate from larvae introduced with cultivated plants of S.Hypnoides, but the moth is able to spread between gardens, and has mainly been found in areas not very distant from wild populations of S. hypnoide (Mossy Saxifrage). Larvae have been found in the Derbyshire Dales where wild S.Hynoides exists. Now a controlled species.

Flight Period: 10 - October | 11 - November | - On the wing in June - July

Mine Period: 6 - June | 7 - July | - Mine period generally only vide north of county

Wingspan: 17-20 mm.

Food Plant: From late August the larvae feed on Saxifraga ragosoi, meadow saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata) and mossy saxifrage (Saxifraga hypnoides) including cultivars.

Last Recorded Year: 2024

Last Recorded Date: 14/09/2024

Last Recorded By: Brian Hallam

Last Recorded General Area: Ilkeston

IMAGES BELOW – Buxton, Derbyshire – Ian White© – Cromford, Derbyshire – Clive Ashton©