Tischeria dodonaea

Alternative names
Small Oak Blotch-miner
Small Carl
Description

Wingspan about 7mm.  Adult moth is fairly plain varying from yellowish-brown to a more chestnut brown.  The larvae mine the leaves of Oak and Sweet Chestnut.  The mine has a dark blotch with a series of dark concentric rings or semicircles.

Similar Species

Adult may be similar in appearance to Tischeria ekebladella; the mines are also similar but T dodonaea shows a feeding pttern of concentric arcs.

Identification difficulty

Adult Leafmine

Recording advice

Adult moth requires confirmation by gen det.  Leaf mine - please provide good quality photographs including a backlit image. Please also state the host species.

Habitat

Associated with Oak and Sweet Chestnut.

When to see it

Adult May to September.  Larval mines mainly from September to November.

Life History

Larva mines the leaves of Oak and Sweet Chestnut.

UK Status

The species is infrequent and local, found mainly in the southern half of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

VC55 Status

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland. The Cropston record of 5th November 2023 is the first for our area (VC55).

Reference
10.002 BF124

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Small Carl
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Order:
Family:
Records on NatureSpot:
1
First record:
05/11/2023 (Smith, Peter)
Last record:
05/11/2023 (Smith, Peter)

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