45.019 BF1506  -  Pterophoridae -  Pterophorinae - Stenoptilia millieridactyla - Saxifrage Plume - (Bruand, 1861) Adult Micro:  CAT 5 - A Specimen Required - A Specimen Required       Leaf-miner:  CAT R - Moth will need to be reared and possibly dissected - reared and possibly dissected       Larval Case:  C4 - As C3 but also a Gen.Det. required - Gen. Det. Required       PDF Icon - click for Verification Guidelines
Green -  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce       orange - Migrant     red - Red-listed    purple - Leaf Miner
**** Note - this moth was last recorded in Derbyshire, but outside of the VC57 Area in VC58 - Cheshire. ****
Taxonomy:   Micro  >>  Pterophoridae ID Difficulty:  amber  - care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely - quality photographs required.
Confusion Species:  Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla
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: June /  July /  -  On the wing in June – July Mine Period: August /  September /   - Mine period generally only in the north of county. Moth Activity: Diurnal  Crepuscular  - active in afternoon and evening sunshine and occasionally comes to light. Photographed: Yes -  Photographed By: Ian White, Clive Ashton  © All Rights Reserved
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©

 
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