006 Caloptilia rufipennella

GRACILLARIIDAE | Gracillariinae

15.006 Caloptilia rufipennella (Rufous Stilt)

ws: 11–12mm; Aug‐Apr; sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus); first discovered in GB in 1970, initially with a scattered Eastern and Northern distribution, now fairly common in England and Scotland.

Caloptilia rufipennella §1 male

ID: S2 of labial palp not tufted; forewing chestnut-brown without any distinct markings; ws 11-12mm. Note that specimen §1 has ws ~13mm.
C.betulicola/elongella also lack distinct markings, they are both larger (ws 14-16mm).
A further distinction given in MBGBI2 and UKmoths is an obscure pale band on the foretibia of C.rufipennella but not on C.betulicola/elongella.
With the eye of faith this can be seen on the images of the live moth but it seems to be missing in the leg preparation below.
Male genitalia: The long strong cornutus is quite different from the much smaller multiple cornuti shown by C.betulicola/elongella

Variation
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia

§1 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 04/08/2012; male; fw 6.1mm
§2 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 30/07/2016; female
§3 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 04/07/2018; male; fw 5.7mm
§4 Foulness, Essex; 15/08/2020; female; fw 5.1mm
§5 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 18/07/2021
§6 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 12/07/2022; male; fw 5.6mm
§7 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 12/07/2022; male
§8 St Mary's, Isles of Scilly; 20/09/2023; female; fw 5.9mm
§9 Portland, Dorset; 30/09/2024; female; fw 6.4mm
All images © Chris Lewis