Stigmella species on the Wild Service Tree, Torminalis glaberrima, confused, overlooked and found again (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae)
2025
Erik J. van Nieukerken | Dieter Robrecht
The rare leafmining pygmy moth Stigmella torminalis (Wood, 1890) was found in 2021 in Germany, Hessen, Volkmarsen-Hörle, for the first time in western Europe in more than a century. From 14 larvae found on Torminalis glaberrima (Gand.) Sennikov & Kurtto (= Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz), eight adults emerged the following spring. The species was found again in 2022, and also in Germany in three localities in Rheinland-Pfalz, and is recorded as new from North Macedonia and Belgium, and possibly Georgia. By a focused search on the same hostplant, leafmines of S. hahniella (Wörz, 1937) were also found again in Germany for the first time in 90 years, in Baden-Württemberg, Thüringen, as newly in Rheinland-Pfalz, France and Georgia. Both species are compared with S. mespilicola (Frey, 1856), which also feeds on this host. Stigmella mespilicola is recorded as new from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Luxemburg. A key to leafmines of these species is provided. All old records of both species are reviewed, the majority of those specified as Stigmella (or Nepticula) torminalis, usually based on leafmines, being incorrect or dubious, but some old records from Hungary are shown to be correct. Stigmella torminalis has only been found on Torminalis glaberrima, with larvae only from late June to early August, and adults emerging the next spring. Records from other hosts or during the autumn are incorrect.
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