Insects of Britain and Ireland: the families of Lepidoptera

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L. Watson and M. J. Dallwitz


Excluding Hieroxestidae = Oinophilidae, Opogonidae. Including Bucculatricidae.


Head rough (at least on the crown). Antennae long to very long; extending to about 0.8–1 times the length of the forewing. Antennae of males simple; non-ciliate. The antennal scape expanded laterally and concave beneath, forming an ‘eye cap’ (usually), or not forming an ‘eye cap’. Ocelli absent. Chaetosemata absent. Maxillary palps much reduced; 1–3 segmented (? - ‘rudimentary’); not folded. Labial palps well developed, or short or rudimentary; drooping, or porrect; 3 segmented. Proboscis fully developed, or absent (‘usually short’); not scaly.

Wingspan (6–)7–10(–12) mm; 10–16 times the thoracic width. Forewings with their apices conspicuously bent up or down when the insect is at rest; narrow; about 3.6–5.7 times as long as wide. Tornus weakly defined to undetectable. Forewings predominantly shining-metallic (e.g., metallic-grey), or exhibiting shining-metallic markings, or neither shining-metallic nor with shining metallic markings. Hindwings narrow-elongate and very long-fringed to neither unusually narrow-elongate nor especially long-fringed; linear to lanceolate; very much narrower than the forewings to quite markedly narrower than the forewings; with a pointed apex. The fringe of the hindwings (1–)3–9 times the width of the membrane. The upper surfaces plain; with neither discal spot nor transverse lines; hindwings with a frenulum.

Neuration of forewings and hindwings dissimilar. Forewings with well developed neuration; 7–10 veined; with 1 anal vein, or with 2 anal veins. The anal veins of the forewings representing 1b only (1c then vestigial), or comprising 1b and 1c. Forewings exhibiting a tubular vein 1c, or lacking a tubular vein 1c. Vein 1b of the forewings simple. Forewings with a discal cell. The transverse vein complete, or incomplete. Discal cell of the forewings without a tubular media (M) vein (likewise the hind-wings). Hindwings with greatly reduced neuration; 3–6 veined; seemingly lacking anal veins; lacking vein 1a; seemingly lacking a tubular vein 1c; without a discal cell. The transverse vein lacking. Veins 3, 4 and 6 may be lacking.

Fore-legs with a tibial epiphysis. Tibiae of middle legs 2-spurred. Posterior tibiae 4-spurred; hairy (with long hairs above and below).

Eggs, larvae and pupae. Eggs smooth or minutely pitted (?). Larval prolegs 10. Larvae concealed feeders; leaf-mining (at least when young). Mining leaves of divers Dicot trees, shrubs and herbs.


British representation. Genera 5 (Bedellia, Bucculatrix, Leucoptera, Lyonetia, Paraleucoptera); 23 species (1 adventive). Leucoptera labernella (Laburnum Leaf Miner), Leucoptera malifoliella (Pear Leaf Blister Moth), Lyonetia clerkella (Apple Leaf Miner), etc.

Classification. Microlepidoptera. Suborder Ditrysia. Superfamily Yponomeutoidea (recently re-assigned).

Illustrations. • Leucoptera laburnella (specimen): photo. • Stainton's representative 'Tineina'. • Lyonetia clerkella (Autumnal Argyromiges: B. Ent. 284). • Lyonetia clerkella: B. Ent. 284, legend+text. • Lyonetia clerkella: B. Ent. 284, text cont.. • Bucculatrix nigricomella (mainland-European), B. aurimaculella (British form of B. nigricomella), B. cidarella: Stainton 7, I (1862). • Stainton 7, I (1862): original legend.. • Bucculatrix ulmella, B. bechsteinella (as crataegi), B. demaryella: Stainton 7, II (1862). • Stainton 7, II (1862): original legend.. • Bucculatrix maritima, B. gnaphaliella (mainland-European), B. ratisbonensis (mainland-European): Stainton 7, III (1862). • Stainton 7, III (1862): original legend.. • Bucculatrix frangulella, B. thoracella (as hippocastanella), B. cristatella: Stainton 7, IV (1862). • Stainton 7, IV (1862): original legend.. • Leucoptera, Bucculatrix. • Larvae of 'Tineina' (Stainton). • Leucoptera, Bucculatrix: neuration.

