Phyllonorycter harrisella

Wingspan 7-9 mm. A leaf-mining species which tends to show narrower and less distinct chevrons on the forewing than many of its close relatives. Some forms have a very greyish appearance with indistinct markings.

The leaf mines on oak can be searched for from late autumn through winter, and it is relatively easy to rear the adult.  The species can't be identified from the mine alone, as P quercifoliella, P messaniella and other oak species are very similar, but the pupa has a distinctive arrangements of hooks at the very end, known as the 'cremaster'.  There is a key and description of these on Bladmineerders.nl here, and photos at https://mothdissection.co.uk/species.php?Tx=Phyllonorycter_harrisella

Adult Mine/Pupa

Provide a photograph of the leaf mine, and images of the pupal cremaster

Around areas with Oak

On the wing in May and June and again in the autumn.

The larvae feed on Oak forming a blotch-like leaf mine.

It is fairly common over much of Britain but less so in Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Occasional or under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant)

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.harrisella.htm

https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-harrisella/