Photo © Dan Houghton

Apple Pygmy

Stigmella malella

Checklist Number
04.013 [B&F: 0097]

Verification
Record requires retention of specimen until confirmed, and may require dissection. Consult with CMR if unsure

Classification

Family:Nepticulidae
Subfamily:Nepticulinae
Genus:Stigmella
Species:malella
Authority:(Stainton, 1854)

Local throughout much of England, rare elsewhere in Britain. Probably under-recorded in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, where the extent of known records correlate with those areas in which the recording effort is concentrated. Wingspan 4.5-5.5 mm. Adults difficult to distinguish from other Stigmella species, and more frequently recorded in the larval stage, when mines are relatively easy to find where they are present. Larva mines leaves of Apple, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas, over-wintering as a pupa. The mines are described in the following link:
leafmines.co.uk
.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)