4: NEPTICULIDAE: 1 - 24

4.002 Grey Birch Dot (Stigmella lapponica) mine and larva in Downy Birch at North Dean wood, June 7th 2018. Note the cloudy green frass filling the first third of the mine. It then turns black and narrow as the larva changes instar.

4.002 Grey Birch Dot (Stigmella lapponica) disturbed from a birch tree in North Dean wood on Apr. 16th 2011.

4.002 Grey Birch Dot (Stigmella lapponica), a male to light at the woods near Cromwell Bottom visitor center on Apr. 13th 2025. Much more worn the the above moth.

4.002 Grey Birch Dot (Stigmella lapponica), a phallus from the dissection of the above moth. It contains at least 50 small thorns (cornuti) and 20 or so larger ones.

4.003 Pale Birch Dot (Stigmella confusella) mine in Downy Birch at Hollas Lane nature reserve, Sept. 2nd 2017. A similar mine to S.lapponica but the frass line is narrow and black throughout.

4.006 Glossy Birch Dot (Stigmella sakhalinella) mine in birch at Copley meadow, Sept. 9th 2017. I popped down to Copley to see the instalment of the new bridge at North Dean after the last one was severely damaged by the Boxing day floods. On route I stopped off at Copley meadow and got caught out in a torrential downpour. Whilst sheltering under a birch tree I noticed this mine. Straight away I knew it was something good - the coiled, brown frass throughout was a good pointer. Unheard of in Yorkshire until 2010 it's still quite rare but I suspect more people are now aware of it and searching for it.

4.006 Glossy Birch Dot (Stigmella sakhalinella) mine and larva at North Loop, Cromwell Bottom on Sept. 25th 2025.

One of three mines found that day.

4.007 Short-barred Dot (Stigmella luteella) mines and larvae in birch at Norland Bilberry Slopes on Oct. 8th 2017. The mines have a typically contorted beginning.

4.007 Short-barred Dot (Stigmella luteella) mines and larva in birch at Tag meadow, Cromwell Bottom on Sept. 19th 2017.

 4.007 Short-barred Dot (Stigmella luteella) male to actinic light at Norland Bilberry slopes on June 25th 2022. At a mere 2.5mm long this is the smallest moth I have dissected, not the most proficient effort but it was very satisfying when I finally saw the features that clinched a positive ID.

4.007 Short-barred Dot (Stigmella luteella) dissection of the moth above.

4.008 White-barred Alder Dot (Stigmella glutinosae) mine and larva in Common Alder by the Calder at Copley village, Sept. 17th 2017.

4.010 Nut Tree Dot (Stigmella microtheriella), Aug. 2nd 09. Reared from a mine in Hazel on Arthur Stott's plot at Skircoat Green allotments. Eight adults reared from 12 mines that summer was a very good success rate, well, for me at least. This one had an overall length of just 1.9mm.

4.010 Nut Tree Dot (Stigmella microtheriella) mines in Hazel, by the towpath at Elland Bridge, Nov. 28th 2016.

4.010 Nut Tree Dot (Stigmella microtheriella), mine in Hornbeam, by the towpath at Sowerby Bridge, Nov. 15th 2017.

4.012 Maple Dot (Stigmella aceris), one of four mines found on the same Field Maple tree at Tag Loop, Cromwell Bottom on Sept. 16th 2025.

4.012 Maple Dot (Stigmella aceris) mine and larva, Sept. 16th 2025, details above.

The mine can be difficult to detect as the frass is green initially, it later turns brown.

4.012 Maple Dot (Stigmella aceris), the same mine as above. It's three days later and the larva has finished mining and is about to exit the mine. For some reason the last section of frass becomes black and linear.

4.013 Apple Dot (Stigmella malella) mines in cultivated apple at Hollin Hall orchard, Hardcastle Crags on Oct. 4th 2023.

Eggs underside and larvae exited upperside.

4.015 Rose Dot (Stigmella anomelella) mines and larvae in Dog Rose, next to the towpath near Elland Bridge, Oct. 11th 2010.

4.015 Rose Dot (Stigmella anomelella)  mine and larva in my garden rose bush at Skircoat Green, July 23rd 2017.

4.015 Rose Dot (Stigmella anomelella) Aug. 12th 2017. Reared from the larva pictured above.

4.015 Rose Dot (Stigmella anomelella) same moth as above.

4.023 Hawthorn Dot (Stigmella crataegella) mine and larva in Hawthorn at Copley meadow, July 9th 2019. A distinctive summer mine with a green larva and reddish/brown frass.

4.023 Hawthorn Dot (Stigmella crataegella) pre-pupal larva and freshly spun cocoon, July 10th. After collecting the mine pictured above the larva soon vacated and spun up on some damp tissue paper.

4.023 Hawthorn Dot (Stigmella crataegella) mine in Hawthorn at Cromwell Bottom on Aug. 14th 2018.

4.024 Northern Rowan Dot (Stigmella magdalenae) mine in Rowan at High House reservoir, Midgley moor on July 25th 2023.