NEPTICULIDAE: 01 - 30

4.002 Drab Birch Pygmy (Stigmella lapponica), mine and larva in Downy Birch, North Dean wood, June 7th 2018. Note the cloudy green frass filling the first third of the mine. It then turns black and narrow coinciding with a change of instar.

4.002 Drab Birch Pygmy (Stigmella lapponica), North Dean wood, Apr. 16th 2011. Disturbed and captured from birch by day. A typically small Stigmella species with a wing length of around 3mm. Determined by Harry Beaumont.

4.003 Pale Birch Pygmy (Stigmella confusella) mine in Downy Birch at Hollas Lane nature reserve, Sept. 2nd 2017.

4.003 Pale Birch Pygmy (Stigmella confusella), four mines in Downy Birch, North Dean wood, Oct.18th 2010. A similar mine to S.lapponica but the frass line is narrow and black throughout.

4.004 Lime Pygmy (Stigmella tiliae) in Common Lime by the Calder at Hollas Lane, Oct. 12th 2010.

4.006 Small Birch Pygmy (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.

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

4.007 Short-barred Pygmy (Stigmella luteella) mine and larva in birch, North Dean wood, Oct. 13th 09. Note the contorted start to the mine and the green gut line of the larva. The number of features to aid the identification of mines seems endless.

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

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

4.010 Nut Tree Pygmy (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. At 1.9mm in length this is the smallest moth I've photographed to date...... 

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

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

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

4.013 Apple Pygmy (Stigmella malella) mine. A close-up of one of the mines above.

Eggs underside and larvae exited upperside.

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

4.015 Rose Leaf Miner (Stigmella anomelella)  mine and larva in the garden rose bush, July 23rd 2017.

4.015 Rose Leaf Miner (Stigmella anomelella) Aug. 12th 2017. Reared from the mine pictured above.

4.015 Rose Leaf Miner (Stigmella anomelella) same moth as above.

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

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

4.025 Common Rowan Pygmy (Stigmella nylandriella) mine in Rowan, Long wood, July 13th 2017.

4.026 Common Fruit Tree Pygmy (Stigmella oxyacanthella) mine and larva in Hawthorn, New Lane, Sept. 24th 09. ID features are coiled frass turning reddish brown, larva green and an autumn generation only.

4.030 Greenish Thorn Pygmy (Stigmella hybnerella) mine and larva in Hawthorn, New Lane, May 26th 09.

 

4.030 Greenish Thorn Pygmy (Stigmella hybnerella) egg cases and mines on Hawthorn, New Lane, June 16th 2011. Microscopic detail  with back light showing the empty egg cases and the beginnings of the mines.

 

4.030 Greenish Thorn Pygmy (Stigmella hybnerella) cocoon, June 17th 09. Reared from a mine in Hawthorn found on New Lane, Skircoat Green. A distinctive, red cocoon spun on the wall of the rearing jar.

 

4.030 Greenish Thorn Pygmy (Stigmella hybnerella) pupa removed from its cocoon, July 11th 2018. Reared from a larva found at Hollas Lane the previous month.