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, on Meadow Oat Grass). 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.

Data: Aston Rowant, Oxon., VC22

Image:© Will Langdon