Food Plant: Thymus spp. (Thyme)

Egg: Laid on flower

Mine: August - May

Notes: Initially it feeds on the seeds of thyme and then uses the seedhead as a case. It overwinters in this case and starts feeding again in March on grass spp. It then makes a case from the mined blade of grass (as shown). This case is enlarged to finally 11mm in length. Occurs where Thyme grows eg chalk downland, rocky slopes. Occurs throughout the UK - mainly coastal in Scotland and on limestone in ireland. Habitat where larval cases found in autumn, with abundant Thymus sp., growing in sheltered hummocks and gullies.

Data: 23.vi.2020, Somerset, VC6

Image:© Will Langdon