Heringocrania unimaculella (Zetterstedt, 1839) Species
Last modified: Dec. 11, 2023, 9:42 a.m.
A common species in Belgium but nevertheless overlooked.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Eriocraniidae > Genus: Heringocrania > Species: Heringocrania unimaculella
- Vernacular names
- Zilvervlekpurpermot (NL), White-spot Purple (EN), Silberfleck-Purpurmotte (DE)
- First mention in Belgium
- Fologne E. 1859b. Supplément au catalogue des lépidoptères de Belgique. — Annales de la Société entomologique belge 3: 133–142. On page 136 (as Micropteryx unimaculella. Zett.). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan: 10 mm.
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
No pictures yet!Caterpillar
The white caterpillar has a brown head and the rear edges of the head are darker than the rest.
This is a distinguishing criterion to identify this species.
Mine
The mine is a large, full depth white blotch along the edge of the leaf. The black frass lies in long spaghetti-like threads.
See also bladmineerders.be
Cocoon/pupa
Pupation takes place inside a tough silken cocoon.
Bionomics
The egg is laid in young leaves. The mine is a large, full depth white blotch along the edge of the leaf. The black frass lies in long spaghetti-like threads. The caterpillar hibernates as a pupa in a tough silken cocoon in the soil or in debris.
The adults can be observed resting on the trees or flying around the trees in sunshine. Later they occasionally come to light.
Flight periods
The adults fly during March and April.
Observed on
- Host plant (genera):
- Betula
The monophagous larva feeds on Betula-species.
