Food Plant: Salix (willow)

Mine: late Summer

Notes: Forms circular blotch mines on the upper surface of the leaf (as shown). There are two species in Britain and both are uncommon. I. foliorum has become very scare, though widely distributed, whereas I. sequensi, a recent colonist (?) seems to be spreading slowly, but recorded only from SE and E England. The life histories are not known in sufficient detail to identify these species either from the mine or larvae. The adults were bred out to confirm identification and emerged on 26.ix.2015.

Synonymy: I.populicola

Data: 17.ix.2015, Downham Market, Norfolk, VC28

Image:© Rob Edmunds