Resorting to Leaf-mines

The collection in last night's garden trap was again just Orthosia species:  Common Quaker (1), Powdered Quaker (2), Clouded Drab (4) & Hebrew Character (2).  I resorted to looking around the garden for leaf-mines between today's showers and managed to find evidence of Stigmella aurella (on bramble), Phyllonorycter leucographella (on pyracantha) and Coleophora gryphipennella (on rose) without any effort.   

There's no shortage of Stigmella aurella mines at Westcott

Feeding signs of Coleophora gryphipennella on rose

Larval case of Coleophora gryphipennella hiding under leaf

There were six active larval cases of Coleophora gryphipennella on what is quite a small cultivated rose growing in a pot.  It is good to know that they got through the winter successfully and are now feeding again.


Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks