Only recorded new to Nottinghamshire in 2025, when leaf mines were
recorded by Martin Gray at Broadholme, on the Nottinghamshire border
with Lincolnshire. A second site/record was subsequently found in
September 2025, when a number of mines were found at Rainworth by Nick
and Samantha Brownley. Lyonetia prunifoliella has an interesting history in the UK, at
one time being found across parts of central and southern England, then
becoming extinct, or just never found again sometime around 1900. Then,
almost as suddenly as it disappeared, it turned up a number of years ago
and is currently on the increase.
The mines start as a narrow gallery, later
becoming a blotch mine and can be found on a range of rosaceous trees
including various Prunus sp, Blackthorn, Hawthorn etc. The
frass is ejected from the mine, through a slit made on the underside of
the leaf by the larva (lower photograph). The frass often becomes
tangled with silk, occasionally forming strings. |
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Adult, reared ex-Rainworth leaf mine. Photographed October 2025. |
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Adult, reared ex-Rainworth leaf mine. Photographed October 2025. |
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Leaf mines on Prunus sp. Photographed at
Rainworth, September 2025. |
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Early stage leaf mines on Prunus sp. Photographed at
Rainworth, September 2025. |
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Leaf mines on Prunus sp. Photographed at Rainworth, September 2025. The
early part of the mine is a narrow gallery, seen better when viewed from
above. |
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