Caterpillars on Beech

We had a very enjoyable trip to Penn Wood with the Bucks Invertebrate Group this morning, in gorgeous sunshine and good company. The focus was on leaf mines, and I expect that Neil Fletcher and Dave Wilton will have a good long list to report. A couple of caterpillars on Beech were also found.


A caterpillar of Ancylis mitterbacheriana (Red Roller) had completely folded over a Beech leaf and sealed it well with silk. The caterpillar hiding inside was well marked with spots and patterns around the head.

Pairs of overlapping Beech leaves stuck together with silk, and showing brown feeding blotches, were the signs for another tortrix moth, Strophedra weirana (Little Beech Piercer).