Checking the Snowberry in my garden again today, I found the mine pictured below which this time I think looks good for Phyllonorycter trifasciella. The leaf is strongly distorted and there are creases on the underside of the mine, both features mentioned in Micro-moth Field Tips.
I am reluctant to open the mine in case pupation has not yet occurred, but I suspect that, if it is this species, then if I retain it, it may well emarge in a month or so?
Thanks
Phil T
Hello Phil,
ReplyDeleteYes, stick the leaf inside a sealed container (small freezer bag, redundant Indian/Chinese sauce pot or whatever) along with a label noting the date taken into captivity, which is the date to use for recording purposes. The larva will certainly have pupated by the end of this month, if it hasn't already, so you could try inspecting the inside of the mine any time thereafter (that's if an adult - or a parasitic wasp - hasn't already emerged by then). If it is at the larval stage now then theoretically, outdoors, I wouldn't normally expect the adult to appear until next Spring, but keeping it indoors will artificially speed things up so it could emerge at any time between now and then, so you need to remember to keep checking it! I find that Phyllonorycters are quite easy to rear and aren't anywhere near as fussy about temperature, humidity, etc as are Nepticulids.