Stigmella floslactella

Wingspan about 6 mm.

Adult Leafmine

Mines occur on Hornbeam and Hazel. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/S.floslactella.htm

Areas where the larval foodplants are present.

There are two generations, with adults on the wing in May and August.

This species feeds on Hazel or Hornbeam and its larval mines are often found alongside that of Stigmella microtheriella in the same leaf. However the mines of S. floslactella are generally wider, less angular and contain more scattered frass than those of S. microtheriella. The egg is underside, in a leaf-axil, and the larva mines venter-down. The larval mines can be found in June-July, but more often in September-October.

A widespread and fairly common species across most of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant).