Elm - Ulmus
Identification of Elm to species level is very difficult and sometimes not possible from photographs. Any record not confirmed by one of our VC55 County Recorders for flora should be added as Ulmus agg.
Aggregate 
Identification of Elm to species level is very difficult and sometimes not possible from photographs. Any record not confirmed by one of our VC55 County Recorders for flora should be added as Ulmus agg.
Mainly seen in hedgerows but also in woodland and scrub areas.
Most species of Elm flower early (in February and March) before coming into leaf.
Deciduous.
As an aggregate Elm is frequent and widespread in Britain.
Frequent as an aggregate in Leicestershire and Rutland.
David Gould
Braunstone, Wood Close Plantation
24 April 2021
Peter Smith
Normanton-le-Heath, Redburrow Lane
04 August 2021
steven lewis
Welby
22 February 2016
stepgray4
Wymeswold Woodland
22 April 2021
Seeds and buds
David Gould
G.U. Canal, Glen Parva, Leicester.
30 November 2018
corky wings on bark
David Gould
G.U. Canal, Glen Parva, Leicester.
30 November 2018
winter twig
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Species profile
- Common names
- Elm
- Species group:
- flowering plant
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Rosales
- Family:
- Ulmaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 313
- First record:
- 24/08/1996 (Steve Woodward)
- Last record:
- 21/05/2026 (Mabbett, Craig)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.
Latest images
Latest records
Saharima Roenisch
Abbey Park
29 June 2018
overall form Leicester Road near to quarry Sapcote SP 4958 9334 (taken 4th Nov 2007).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
04 November 2007
Saharima Roenisch
Leicester Abbey Park, near Charter St Footbridge
09 June 2020
Craig Mabbett
Stockhill Farm Near Broughton Astley
21 June 2017
David Nicholls
Ullesthorpe, Claybrooke Rd verge
14 June 2021
Saharima Roenisch
Knighton Park
20 September 2020
Saharima Roenisch
Leicester Abbey Park, near Charter St Footbridge
09 June 2020
Saharima Roenisch
Abbey Park
29 June 2018
Groby John
Groby, Granite Railway extension
30 May 2022
Peter Smith
Long Whatton
17 April 2022
stepgray4
Wymeswold Meadows
26 April 2021
Seeds
steven lewis
Welby
22 February 2016
 Leicester Road near to quarry Sapcote SP 4958 9334 (taken 4th Nov 2007).JPG)
Tinocallis takachihoensis
All adult of the aphid Tinocallis takachihoensis viviparae are winged. These alates are pale yellow-green with a shiny black head and thorax. The pattern of black markings on the wings is diagnostic.
Coleophora limosipennella
The cased larva of the moth Coleophora limosipennella feeds on Elm. Mines start from the midrib and head outwards along a vein, terminating in a small (c.2-3mm) elongated oval excision. All frass is expelled from the mine, and can be seen along the midrib underneath. The cut-out leaf in used to make a larval case in which it overwinters on an elm twig, resuming feeding in late spring.
Coleophora badiipennella
The cased larva of the moth Coleophora badiipennella feeds on Elm starting with a narrow gallery running from the mid-rib along a side vein. This ends in a roughly oval/rounded rectangular excision (c.6mm long) out of which it makes its first case. Several small mines are then made in the leaf, each with a small central hole where the case was attached. The final case is small and often has a serrated dorsal keel.
%20Larva%20Field%20near%20Granitethorpe%20Sapcote%20SP%204949%209364%20%20(taken%2014.5.2010).JPG)
Coleophora serratella
The cased larva of the moth Coleophora serratella feeds on Birch and Elm. The first cases are very small and curved; final cases are tubular and usually have a serrated keel.
Orchestes betuleti
Orchestes betuleti is a very small ( 2.5 mm or less) weevil associated with Elm. It may vary from orange-red to darker red. The unmarked elytra, head, legs and rostrum are all red. The larva mines the leaves of Elm, creating a narrow gallery, which widens into a blotch at the leaf-edge. The mines of Orchestes alni on Elm are similar but tend to appear earlier in the year.
European Elm Flea Weevil
The European Elm Flea Weevil (Orchestes alni) is a very small (2.5 to 3.5mm) weevil. Each red/orange wing case (elytron) usually has two or more dark blotches, which gives this weevil a rather ladybird like appearance. The larva mines Elm, creating a narrow gallery starting from the midrib, widening into a blotch at the leaf-edge. The mines of Orchestes betuleti on Elm are similar but tend to appear later in the year..
Zig-zag Elm Sawfly
The larvae of the Zig-zag Elm Sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda) feed on the leaves of Elm, prodicing characteristic zig-zag cut-out patterns in the leaf.
%20on%20English%20Elm%20(Ulmus%20procera)%20Field%20near%20Granitethorpe%20Quarry%20Sapcote%20SP%204949%209367%20(taken%2028.5.2009)_gall.JPG)
Aceria campestricola
Aceria campestricola is a gall mite that causes numerous small pouch galls to form on the upper leaf surfaces of certain species of Elm.
Physemocecis ulmi
The larvae of the gall midge Physemocecis ulmi produce yellowish, blister-like galls on the leaves of Elm species. The galls contain a white larva.
Apple Leaf Miner
The larva of the Apple Leaf Miner moth (Lyonetia clerkella) produces a leafmine on a number of species, and ocasionally uses Elm. The mine is long smoothly curved gallery with frass in a central line; older mines look whitish. The larva is long and slender. It has a segmented body and 6 dark feet.
Bucculatrix albedinella
The larvae of the moth mines the leaves of elm producing a short gallery with linear frass, and one or more short frass-free projections from the mine
Stigmella viscerella
The green larva of the moth Stigmella viscerella mines the leaves of Elm (Ulmus). The mine starts as a slender contorted gallery that looks like a tiny blotch, then progresses in a series of very tight 'S' turns. The fresh frass is reddish in colour.
Stigmella ulmivora
The larva of the moth Stigmella ulmivora mines the leaves of Elm (Ulmus). It forms a long min e with linear frass in early part of mine. The green larva leaves the mine via an exit hole on the underside of the leaf.
Stigmella lemniscella
The larva of the moth Stigmella lemniscella mines the leaves of Elm (Ulmus) including Wych Elm (U. glabra). It forms a narrow gallery almost filled with frass, often following the leaf margin. The yellow larva leaves the mine via an exit hole on the upper surface of the leaf.
Phyllonorycter schreberella
The larva of the moth Phyllonorycter schreberella feeds on Elm (Ulmus) forming a rounded mine. This species rarely uses Wych Elm.
Phyllonorycter tristrigella
The larvae of the moth Phyllonorycter tristrigella feed on Elm (Ulmus), creating a long, narrow blotch mine on the underside of a leaf between two veins.
Fenusa pusilla agg.
The species is most likely to be recorded from the leafmine produced by the sawfly larva which is a full depth blotch mine on Elm. The taxonomy of the sawflies feeding on Ulmus is problematic and unresolved at present. Some authors e.g. Lacourt (2020) consider all the Ulmus feeding leafminers belong to one species - Fenusa pusilla. Fenusa ulmi was recorded in Ireland (2004, Knight) as F. pusilla. In Europe there are at most two species on Elm, F. ulmi and F. altenhoferi and we have decided to treat these as F. pusilla agg. until such time as the taxonomy is resolved.
European Elm Leafcurl Aphid
Eriosoma ulmi is a greyish waxy aphid that causes a leaf roll gall to form on the leaves of Elm. One half of the Elm leaf blade crinkles and rolls in to form a tubular pouch. The gall is seen more often than the aphid.
,_gall.JPG)
Eriosoma lanuginosum
Eriosoma lanuginosum is an aphid which causes the formation of a leaf gall on Elm which takes the form of a bladder looking like a pale green egg or pear which may be 6 or even 8 cm long and nearly as wide. The gall is more often seen than the adult aphid.
Fig Gall
The aphid Tetraneura ulmi causes a fig like gall to be formed on certain species of elm. This is a quite large, solitary, upright, pouch like gall on the upper surface of the leaf. The gall is more often seen than the adult aphid.