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).The larva has black head, plates and legs. The prothoracic plate does not have a median sulcus. This case is enlarged to finally 11mm in length. Occurs where Thyme grows eg chalk downland, rocky slopes. Occurs throughout the UK - maily coastal in Scotland and on limestone in ireland.

Status: Nationally Scarce B

Data: 03.iv.2012, near Slad, Glos.,VC33

Image:© Guy Meredith