The leaf mining season's now in full swing but it's getting pretty difficult to find anything new these days. So, I was well pleased finding this one on Saturday during the Scientific Society walk around Cromwell Bottom. It's Small Alder Midget (Phyllonorycter stettinensis) in Common Alder. It's the only Phyllo that mines the upperside of Alder and you can just make out the central crease in this rather contorted example.
Below is the underside of the mine.
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On the Sunday walk by the HSS to Manor Heath park we looked at ferns and I was pleased to find a new foodplant, to myself, for the Fern Smut (Psychoides filicivora). The mines were only visible on the upperside but the sporangia covered, brown cases were all located on the underside. Five are shown here on Western Polypody which interestingly is not one of the foodplants shown on the UK leaf mine site - maybe it's a new discovery. I'll find out.
Although this leaf contained one larva it won't need rearing through as two adult moths were also seen flying around the ferns.
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2 comments:
NIce moths there Charlie.
Great stuff Charlie. Hope you've added to the foodplants of that little moth!
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