Phyllonorycter lantanella

Wingspan about 9 mm. A well marked brown and white species similar to several other members of this family.  The larva mines the leaves of Wayfaring-tree and occasionally on Guelder-rose or Viburnum tinus, causing tentiform mines.

Adult Leafmine

Photograph mine and note host species

In areas where the larval food plants occur.

There are two generations, with moths on the wing in May and August, and leaf mines evident in July and from September onwards, the second generation overwintering in this stage.

The larval foodplants are Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana) and other Viburnum species, such as Guelder Rose and the non-native Viburnum tinus. The larval mine is on the underside of the leaf, causing a strong fold and distorting the leaf, sometimes more than one mine to a leaf.

This species occurs in the southern counties of England and Wales, ranging north to the Midlands. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland, the Tinwell record of 27th September 2013 is the first for VC55. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/P.lantanella9.htm

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