Food Plant: Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore), Acer platanoides (Norway Maple)Elsewhere: Acer monspessulanum (Montpellier maple)

Egg: on the underside of a leaf

Mine: late Summer

Notes: This species initially makes an irregular, half-depth, silvery blotch on the upperside of the leaf, often with many diverticula. It then forms cones in the lobes of the leaf in a similar manner to Caloptilia rufipennella. This enables separation from Caloptilia rufipennella as, in this species, the initial blotch is whitish to brown and lower surface and in the angle between veins. First discovered in the UK in 2019 in Folkestone (Harper & Roberts, 2019). This is the first cone made by a larva on Acer pseudoplatanus that was reared from its initial mine and dissected to confirm the identification.

Bradley No: 291a

Data: 22.ix.2022, Dungeness, Kent, VC15

Image:© Will Langdon

References:
De Prins, W, Steeman C. & Jacobs M, (2018). Caloptilia honoratella, een nieuwe soort voor de Belgische fauna. Phegea 46: p.8–9.
Harper B & Roberts I (2019), The first British record of Caloptilia honoratella (Rebel, 1914) at Folkestone, Kent, Atropos 64;24-29
McCulloch J (2021), Caloptilia honoratella (Rebel, 1914) (Lep.:Gracillariidae) new to Norfolk on the basis of an atypical image, Entomologist's Rec. J. Var. 133;10-11
Plant C, (2022), The Status of Caloptilia honoratella (Rebel, 1914) and Caloptilia hemidactylella ([Denis & Schiffermüller}, 1774) in Britain with a note on two similar additional Acer-feeding Caloptilia that might appear in Britain (Lep,; Gracillariidae). Entomologist's Rec. J. Var. 134;1, 21-39
Prick, M, Cupedo, F. & Schreurs, A, (2017), Caloptilia honoratella: een nieuwe soort voor de Nederlandse fauna. Entomologische Berichten 77 (5): 243–247.
Rebel, H, (1914). Zur unterscheidung und synonymie einiger arten der gattung gracilaria, Iris, band 27, heft 4, p.168– 172.
Rist, O. & Stark, W, (2012). Caloptilia honoratella: Wiederfund für Österreich, neu für Wien und Niederösterreich und erste Meldung für Deutschland. Beiträge zur Entomofaunistik 13 Kurzmitteilungen.