Phyllonorycter comparella

15.087 .... B&F 0365
*Phyllonorycter comparella* (Duponchel, [1843])
Recorded new to Nottinghamshire in 2022, when a number of both occupied and unoccupied leaf mines were found on Grey Poplar Populus x canescens, growing at Ollerton Pit Woods. This is another leaf miner of south-eastern counties of the UK, which seems to be spreading north over recent years. Likely to remain rather uncommon in Nottinghamshire on the basis of hostplant range. In October 2026, leaf mines were also found at Ossington (Brownely, N. and Brownley, S.) and at Retford, so it must be fairly widespread and somewhat increasing in the county.
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Adult, reared ex-Ollerton Pit Wood leaf mine, photographed September 2023.

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Adult, reared ex-Ollerton Pit Wood leaf mine, photographed October 2022.

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Leaf mines on Grey Poplar Populus x canescens. Photographed at Ollerton Pit Wood, October 2022.

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Phyllonorycter comparella pupal cremaster showing the four hooks, with the central pair close together. On the pupa of the very similar Phyllonorycter sagitella, the central pair of hooks are spaced evenly between with outer two. The pupa or adult moth is required to accurately determine the ID of both P. comparella or sagitella.

The records for the Nottinghamshire distribution map are currently provided by the following contributors - Trevor and Dilys Pendleton. Nick and Samantha Brownley.

You can contribute your own records to help us gain an accurate status of this species in Nottinghamshire. Send an Excel spreadsheet of your records via the 'contact us' link at the top of the homepage.

Updated September 2026