Phyllonorycter lautella

Description

Phyllonorycter lautella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from all of Europe, except the Mediterranean islands. The wingspan is 6–7 mm. There are two generations per year with adults on wing in May and again in August. The larvae feed on Quercus dalechamii, Quercus petraea and Quercus robur. They mine the leaves of their host plant. They create a large, lower-surface tentiform mine, usually between two side veins. The lower epidermis has one sharp fold. The frass is deposited in a corner of the mine and covered by some spinning. There may be several mines in a single, strongly contracted leaf. The pupa is brownish black and is made in a whitish cocoon.