Incurvaria pectinea

I trapped in some woodland near Medmenham, Bucks last night and next to one of the lights was a small hazel which had obviously been favoured by the micro-moth Incurvaria pectinea.  There were several active larvae in mines on a couple of leaves which I brought home to photograph, although by this morning only one was still feeding in the mine and the others had completed their cut-out cases!

Incurvaria pectinea, Medmenham 22nd May

Incurvaria pectinea, Medmenham 22nd May

A different leaf below shows larval cases still present for the majority of the mines, attached to the underside of the leaf (some vertically, making them difficult to see in this shot).  They eventually fall to the ground where the larvae continue feeding until late summer. 

Incurvaria pectinea, Medmenham 22nd May

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks