Stigmella luteella (Stainton, 1857)

van Nieukerken, Erik J., Laštůvka, Aleš & Laštůvka, Zdenĕk, 2006, The Nepticulidae and Opostegidae of mainland France and Corsica: an annotated catalogue (Lepidoptera: Nepticuloidea), Zootaxa 1216 (1216), pp. 1-114 : 22

Stigmella luteella (Stainton, 1857) — New for Corsica

F: Stigmella luteella ; van Nieukerken 1996: 21—‘France’; Leraut 1997: 80 —‘France’

Material. France: 05: adults, Puy St. Vincent, x., Betula pendula , e.l. v., RB (Buvat in litt.); 67: TM, Forêt de Barr, 4.5 km WNW Barr, 715 m, 20.x.1978, Betula spec. , EvN; TM, Le Hohwald, 590 m, 19.x.1978, B. pendula , EvN; 68: TM, 4.5 km N Munster, Mémorial du Linge, 985 m, 25.x.2002, B. pendula , EvN; 73: adults, Modane­Le Bourget, x., Betula pendula , e.l. v., RB (Buvat in litt.).— Corsica: 2B: 1♂, 3♀, 2 km E Col de Vergio, 1400 m, 27.vi.2005, BS ( ZMUC).

Remarks. First detailed records. Another overlooked Betula ­miner, which may resemble Stigmella betulicola , but occurs usually later. Because the larva does not eat the uppermost parenchyma layer, the mine is appearing green from the upperside of the leaf. As yet only known from the Alsace and Alpes, but likely to be found throughout France. Four adults were found on Corsica, where it is up to now the only Betula feeding Stigmella , next to the birch feeding Ectoedemia occultella .