4: NEPTICULIDAE: 45 - 77

4.045 Golden Dot (Stigmella aurella)  mines in Bramble by the towpath above Cromwell Bottom on Feb. 22nd 2016. A common but often photogenic mine.

4.045 Golden Dot (Stigmella aurella)  mines and cocoons on bramble, Apr.10th 09. 

The mines were found in North Dean wood a few days earlier. When rearing Stigmellas it's worth checking the leaves after the larvae have vacated the mines in case they have pupated on them instead of the substrate provided.

4.045 Golden Dot (Stigmella aurella)  mine and larva in bramble at North Loop, Cromwell Bottom on Feb. 11th 09. Found on a cold, wet, miserable day but the rewards a month later were well worth it (see below).

4.045 Golden Dot (Stigmella aurella) cocoon and empty pupal case, Mar.11th 09. A fantastic sight which immediately indicated that my first attempt at rearing a Stigmella species had been successful. Reared from the mine pictured above.

4.045 Golden Dot (Stigmella aurella), emerged from the pupa pictured above on Mar. 11th 09. 

At 3mm long it looks nothing more than a tiny black fly in flight but in close-up it has a lovely metallic sheen with a variety of colours.

4.045 Golden Dot (Stigmella aurella)  Mar. 28th 2019. Found crawling up the inside of my kitchen window at Skircoat Green in the late afternoon. Easily overlooked but still distinctively moth-like on close inspection.

4.054 Least Hawthorn Dot (Stigmella perpygmaeella), a vacated mine in Hawthorn, New Lane, Sept. 23rd 09. The diagnostic yellow larva with a pale brown head was observed under a microscope chewing out an exit hole and vacating the mine. This is the only time I have witnessed this behaviour.

4.055 Beech Dot (Stigmella hemargyrella) mine and larva in Beech, North Dean wood, June 8th 09. The distinctive coiled frass is clearly visible in the central part of the mine.

4.055 Beech Dot (Stigmella hemargyrella) in Beech by the towpath above Cromwell Bottom, Nov. 28th 2016.

4.055 Beech Dot (Stigmella hemargyrella) mine in Beech along with a Stigmella tityrella mine on the right by the towpath near Tenterfields business park, Luddenden Foot on Nov. 10th 2022.

The photo demonstrates well Hemargyrella's habit of crossing veins where as Tityrella usually stays within them.

4.055 Beech Dot (Stigmella hemargyrella) June 23rd 09. Reared from mines in Beech found at North Dean wood earlier that summer.

4.056 Beautiful Sycamore Dot (Stigmella speciosa) mine in Sycamore by the towpath above Cromwell Bottom, Aug. 10th 2017.

4.056 Beautiful Sycamore Dot (Stigmella speciosa) mines in Sycamore at Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags, Aug. 30th 2024. 

 

4.060 Red-headed Dot (Stigmella ruficapitella) mine and larva in oak by the Calder at Milner Royd, Sept. 4th 08.

 

4.060 Red-headed Dot (Stigmella ruficapitella) mines and larva in oak at North Dean wood, Aug. 30th 2017.

 

4.060 Red-headed Dot (Stigmella ruficapitella) male, Apr.1st 2010. Reared from mines found near Norland village the previous autumn. Similar to other oak feeding Stigmellas this one needed to be identified by microscopic examination of the hindwing (see below).

 

4.060 Red-headed Dot (Stigmella ruficapitella), hindwing of the above moth. The short, dark, thick scales (arrowed) are the androconial scales. They are present in the males only and release pheromones. In this species they are around one third the length of the fringe.

 

4.061 Black-headed Dot (Stigmella atricapitella) mine and larva in oak, New Lane, Skircoat Green, Oct. 9th 2010.

4.063 Oak Dot (Stigmella roborella) to MV light at Black Brook, Barkisland on Sept. 8th 2024. A rather worn example of an otherwise plain moth, it's not surprising that this species is very under recorded.

4.063 Oak Dot (Stigmella roborella), the gen. prep. of the above moth showing the arrangement of the cornuti in the phallus.

 

4.065 Cryptic Dot (Trifurcella cryptella) mine in Common Bird's-foot Trefoil, Tag meadow, Cromwell Bottom, July 2nd 2017. Three mines were found and all were vacated. The gallery frass is greenish/brown, perhaps green when fresh. Eggs and larval exit holes on the underside.

4.071 Speckled Apple Dot (Bohemannia pulverosella) mine and larva in cultivated apple at Hollin Hall garden, Hardcastle Crags, July 20th 2023.

4.071 Speckled Apple Dot (Bohemannia pulverosella) mine in cultivated apple, Skircoat Green allotments, July 3rd 2017. One of at least three mines present. 

 

4.076 Sycamore-seed Dot (Etainia decentella) on my study window at Skircoat Green on June 7th 2011. Found by day this was a much sought after species for myself as the larval mines are apparently difficult to find in the keys (?) of Sycamore. I didn't hold out much hope of finding any let alone rearing an adult from one so to come by this one with the minimum of effort was most welcome.