leaf miner – Not Very Far Away

*Epermenia albapunctella* seen on July 21, 2020.

A speck of dust?

This strange looking gray insect is a moth, and it is very tiny, with a wingspan measuring 13 mm and a body length of around 7 mm (~0.27 inches). It belongs to the genus Epermenia. It may be Epermenia albapunctella, a moth in the Superfamily Epermenioidea (Fringe-tufted Moths), family Epermeniidae.

The first time I saw the moth was in July 2020. I almost passed it by, thinking it was a speck of dust. I’m glad I focused my camera on it because it was not dust but a living moth.

I saw this species two more times after that. Once on September 09, 2018, and again on August 01, 2023.

**My third sighting of *Epermenia albapunctella* on **August 01, 2023**.**

Species determination

While the species identity I have determined is provisional, it is a species of Epermenia. Identifying many tiny moths to species (and even some larger ones) is not always possible from a photo alone or even from visual examination of wing patterns and colors. Very often, genital dissection and DNA sampling are required. These techniques help resolve species identification where one or more related species look very much alike. They can also help to discover cryptic species.

There are numerous sightings of Epermenia albapunctella (MPG and iNaturalist), indicating it is a widespread and somewhat common species.

Epermenia larval host plants

The chief larval host plants of Epermenia are in the Apiaceae (carrot family). They feed by mining the leaves, but later feed outside the leaf in silk webs. However, I could not find information on the feeding habits for all Epermenia species.

Several wild plants in the carrot family grow locally: Cicuta spp. (poison hemlock), Heracleum maximum (cow parsnip), Sanicula spp. (snakeroot), Sium suave (water parsnip), and Osmorhiza spp. (sweet cicely). Feral plants of wild carrot (Daucus carota), parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), and caraway (Carum carvi) are found locally, too. And there are, of course, vegetable gardens with cultivated carrots. They are also Daucus carota, but tastier than the wild form, especially in carrot pie.

*Heracleum maximum* (Cow parsnip), a host plant for *Epermenia* moths. Common along the margins of wet woods and in ditches.

The local abundance of wildflowers in Apiaceae makes locating additional Epermenia moths and larvae more likely. Three species growing here in abundance and with the potential to host Epermenia are sweet cicely, spotted hemlock, and cow parsnip.

Future investigations

Next year, after winter has passed, I’ll be examining any plants in the Apiaceae for Epermenia larvae. I might even plant a carrot patch just for Epermenia. Why else would I plant anything if not for the insects that eat them?

**A *Stigmella* moth leaf mine in a bristly blackberry leaf.**

While out one afternoon in my tamarack swamp hunting for dwarf mistletoe, the subject of a future post, I found this leaf mine in the leaf of a bristly blackberry. The blackberry is possibly Rubus flagellaris, but I’m still working out the identity of the species.

The leaf mine bears a strong resemblance to the leaf mines made by the larvae of the moth Stigmella villosella (Family Nepticulidae). Stigmella villosella is a specialist on Rubus species. The adult moths are minute with a wingspan of only 3 mm.

I doubt I’ll see this moth at my lights, but maybe next year, if I find an active leaf mine, I could raise the larva to maturity. I’m going to give it try anyway.