Food Plant: Arctstaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry)

Egg: underside of leaf

Mine: Sept-April

Notes: Initially makes a narrow gallery mine in late autumn of the first year then overwinters in the mine. In the spring of the second year,in late April or May, it forms a blotch from which it cuts its oval case. It then mines the leaves. In late June to early August it aestivates, before feeding again and then constructing a final case by the following April. The ovum and case-bearing stage are described for the first time by Heckford & Beavan (2018). A tenanted mine wth a dead larva is shown.

Data: 23.iii.2016, Muir of Dinnet, South Aberdeenshire, VC 92

Image:© R J Heckford, S D Beavan